Curses, Jinxes and Blessings
by dart53
Summary: A string of bad luck follows the team on a mission.  Is it really Goniff's curse?
1. Chapter 1

The usual disclaimer applies... I hold no ownership in Garrison's Gorillas or its characters and realize no monetary gain from the story you are about to read.

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Curses, Jinxes and Blessings

"Y'know I think we might be out from under it." Goniff grinned and nudged Chief in the arm with his elbow.

Dark eyes narrowed in irritation as the young man bent to retrieve the bag that had just been knocked from his hand. "What?"

The little cockney dropped his voice, intoning dramatically, 'The Curse," and then clutched the bottom of his seat as the plane bounced and jerked, the wheels screeching as they made contact with the ground.

"What'r you talkin about? What curse!?"

"Y'know, the one says one a us blokes has gotta be bleedin' when we get back from these little trips across the channel." The plane came to a stop and Goniff queued up with the rest, waiting for the door to open.

Actor turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. "We are involved in dangerous work Goniff. The odds of injury are quite high, but there is no supernatural power in it." Throwing his pack out the open door he stepped down out of the plane.

"Nah, it's a curse. Has't be a curse"

"Well, where I come from, if y'believe in that kinda stuff, you don't talk about it. Y'can call evil to you just by talkin' 'bout it." Chief jumped down and stood for a moment as he always did, scanning his surroundings before moving off after Actor towards the waiting jeeps.

Casino turned raising a warning finger "And where I come from if you say a bad thing three times you call it right down on you. So you just give me a little space for a while why don't ya." He hopped out of the plane and turned to grin up at the little Limey standing wide eyed in the opening. "Don't worry, babe, I'll keep the first aid kit handy."

Goniff tossed his sack on the ground and climbed down after it. Bending over he grabbed the bundle and hoisted it up over his shoulder staggering back as the force of the swinging weight overcame his slight build and tenuous balance. He hit up against something solid and heard a muffled 'crack!' Rolling his eyes he squeezed them shut for a second before turning around. Garrison was standing with his back to him still in the act of pulling his gear off the plane, his arms held away from his body slightly. "Uh... You OK Warden?" Goniff watched as the other man gave a slight shake to his head. He had to drop his bag and reached out quickly as the Wardens knees buckled. Sliding the bigger man down his body he crouched on the tarmac with the full weight of the Army officer leaning on his side. "Fellas! Hey fellas!" he called out in alarm.

The other three turned, Actors long legs carrying him to the front of the group as they made their way quickly back to the plane. Kneeling down he helped the stricken Englishman lay their commander out on the ground. "My God! What have you done? He's out cold!"

"Blimey!" They watched for a moment as a trickle of blood made its way down Garrison's temple to disappear in the hair over his ear. Goniff looked around at the others "I think I broke the Lieutenant!"

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"It's alright Goniff!" Griping the cat burglar's wrist with just enough force to loosen his fingers Garrison pulled his arm up out of the man's grasp. "I'm fine. It's just a mild concussion. I don't need a nursemaid"

"But you might get dizzy or, or need somethin'…."

"You'll be the first one I call. Now go stow your gear and get some rest."

Goniff looked up at him with a doubtful eye "If you'r sure." but he continued to hover near his elbow.

"I'm sure." His voice held a slight note of desperation. Goniff had been clinging to him, trying to make amends since he'd come to in the back of the ambulance. "Go! Now!" Garrison watched the man retreat to the stairs, shooing him on with a wave of his hand when he changed direction and turned to head back towards the office. He stood, listening, finally breathing a sigh of relief when he heard the creak of the old tread at the top of the stairs and the murmur of voices overhead as the other men greeted the solicitous little menace as he entered their quarters. Walking across the room he tossed his cap on the corner of the desk before pulling the chair out and sitting down. He reached up and rubbed gingerly at the bandage that covered the stitches in the hairline over his right eye. "How can he climb buildings like a squirrel and still fall over his own feet when he's on solid ground?"

Laughing, Actor pushed himself away from the door where he'd been leaning, "Just part of Goniff's natural charm. He's made good use of his clumsiness though." Answering Garrison's questioning look, "He almost always falls into his mark when he is taking their papers or keys. Hadn't you noticed?" He laughed again as Garrison checked his pockets with mock alarm and exaggerated thoroughness.

Moving to stand in front of the desk Actor watched as the Lieutenant pulled a stack of papers the Sergeant Major had left on the corner of the desk over to rest in front of him and reached into the drawer for his pen. Clearing his throat he waited for the younger man to look up at him. "I don't believe that reading and writing reports is precisely what the doctor had in mind when he released you to come back here and rest."

"Yeah? Well, I need to get these done and there's no point in putting it off. Besides it's restful enough now that I got Goniff out of my hair." Matching Actors stubborn look with one of his own the Warden looked him in the eye and continued. "Now why don't you just go upstairs and join him, and let me get to work."

Actor smiled reasonably "Ah, Goniff! I'm sure he would be happy to come down and help you in any way he could."

"You wouldn't dare." Garrison shot a black look of displeasure at Actor.

The con artist raised an amused eyebrow. "Wouldn't I?"

Garrison continued to glare up at the man, weighing his chances of winning the battle of wills but finally heaved a sigh of surrender and tossed the pen back in the drawer. "Ah hell! These can wait 'til tomorrow. There's still two of everything anyway and I don't have the energy to do twice the work." He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and yawned before pushing the chair back to stand. Moving around the desk he ran his leg into the corner and stumbled, Actor reached out to steady him. "I said I don't need a nursemaid!" Turning he pulled his arm out of range.

Actor stepped away towards the door, "Perhaps you'd just prefer another. I can get Goniff down here in just a moment…."

"Alright, enough!" Garrison raised his voice irritably. His head was pounding and his eyes hurt. The floor didn't feel quite solid under foot and when he looked across at Actor he seemed slightly blurred around the edges. He let his shoulders sag, heaved a sigh, and then laughed "You win!" Letting himself be led up the stairs to the doorway of his quarters he turned on the threshold. "What? You aren't going to come tuck me in and read me a story?"

Actor gave him a patronizing smile "Only if you're not asleep when I come back to check on you."

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Chief looked up from his cot when Actor entered the room. "You gonna get him to do like the doc said?"

The con artist smiled and laughed "I think so, as long as I can threaten him with Goniff."

The little burglar squinted up at him and grinned, then turned his attention back to his solitaire game. Actor cast a glance around the large room they shared. "Where is Casino?"

"Said he had ta meet somebody down in th' town." Goniff continued in a conspiratorial tone. "I think he's got himself a bird."

"He certainly has been secretive of late."

"Well he better hope the Warden don't find out how much time he's been spendin' down there."

Actor settled back in the armchair by the fire "Has he told either of you who she is?"

Goniff shook his head and turned on the chair to face the other two men. "Y'know I don't think he trusts us!" Grinning at Actor "Now you I could understand, but I'm harmless enough you'd think he'd bring me 'round t' meet her."

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The sun was out, the supplies had come in, and the lingering headache the Warden had made him reluctant to send them out on a run through the obstacle course that would ultimately require his presence, so for a change the cons had enjoyed a decent breakfast at a civilized hour and were now lounging on the grass near the front steps of the manor, much to the disgust of the Sergeant Major. When one of the guards pulled Garrisons jeep up and got out, leaving it running on the gravel drive near the entrance, Goniff sat up in alarm.

"Hey! Actor, didn't that doctor say a week out for the Warden?"

"That's what he said."

"Yeah! Since when does the brass stick to the rules?" Casino scoffed.

"Just because the jeep is there" Actor said as they watched Garrison make his way from the entrance down the steps to the jeep and climb in behind the wheel, "and the Lieutenant is in it, does not necessarily mean a mission." He pushed himself off the ground and walked over to the Sergeant Major, dropping a quiet word in his ear as he watched the jeep pull out and head for the gate. After a moments hesitation the British non com scurried up the steps and disappeared into the mansion.

Chief got to his feet and walked over to stand next to the sophisticated con artist, looking from the sly smile on his face to the retreating jeep, he frowned in suspicion. "What'r you up to?"

They watched the jeep pull to a stop at the gate and sit there idling, waiting for the barrier to be raised. They could see the sentry place the handset to the radio back in it's cradle and stand motionless for a moment before he moved out of the shack to stand by the drivers' door at attention. Garrison pulled himself up ram rod straight in the seat and slowly turned his head towards the soldier. The guard stepped back a pace and gave a negative shake to his head. The men at the gate were frozen into a still life for several long moments until Garrison finally turned away, raising his cap and running an irritated hand through his hair. When he settled the cap on his head again he snugged it down low over his eyes and then stepped from the vehicle. They heard one of the motorcycles roar to life behind the building where the motor pool was located and watched it speed around the corner of the mansion and race towards the gate. Pulling to stop the soldier left it near the guard shack and stepped to the jeep, saluting the Lieutenant smartly. After a pause Garrison snapped off a salute and turned to stalk around the jeep. Settling into the right hand seat he turned and aimed a stare back along the long drive at the aristocratic Italian who stood waving at him from the stairs as the jeep pulled out of the gate.

Casino threw his head back and laughed then fixed Actor with a wicked grin, "He's gonna kill you!"

An elegant shoulder shrugged up and then dropped. "I'm sure he has merely forgotten the doctors' orders that he not drive until after his evaluation tomorrow."

"Oh sure! Like he just happened to forget to tell the Sergeant Major that he was ordered to use a driver in the first place?!" Casino snorted in disbelief, shaking his head in amusement he repeated "He's gonna kill you!"

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As it had grown later in the day, and closer to the time the Warden would probably be pulling back onto the grounds and heading back into the mansion the men had drifted up into their quarters and found quiet, inconspicuous pursuits to occupy them. Without discussion they all felt it might just be better to be out of sight when the irritated Army officer returned. Goniff waited up in the room as long as he could, fidgeting at the table, playing poker with Casino until the surly safecracker couldn't handle his incessant movement and chatter any longer, then he'd headed downstairs to raid the kitchen.

"Here he comes," Chief reported from his perch next to the window that looked out on the front terrace and lawns of the estate.

Casino gathered up the cards spread in front of him on the table and shuffled again, laying out another hand of solitaire while Actor settled deeper into the chair by the fire and brought the book he was reading up to shield his face. They listened as the jeep approached the front of the building, heard the door slam shut and the vehicle move off, the rumble of the engine receding as the driver made his way back to the garages behind the large house. The window next to Chief rattled with the slamming of the large front door. Casino looked over at Actor and smirked, shaking his head as they listened to steps rapidly ascending the stairs towards their quarters. There was a sound of murmured voices, a shout, a loud rolling crash, silence, and then the sound of steps pounding back down the stairs.

Chief bolted across the room, pulling the door open he raced down the hall with the others hard on his heels. He checked on the landing for a heartbeat then headed down, taking the steps two at a time, Casino close behind. Actor leaned over the railing and peered down into the foyer at the base of the stairs to find Garrison sprawled on his back staring up at him with a bemused frown on his face, Goniff kneeling by his side. "Don't you move!! Goniff! Don't touch him!" he shouted urgently as he pushed himself away from the rail and continued down the stairs. When he reached the bottom and knelt down by Goniffs side Casino had already picked the lock and removed the handcuff that secured the mission briefcase to Garrisons left wrist and tossed it aside.

"Bloody Hell! Lieutenant? Can you hear me?" Goniff asked in an anguished voice.

Garrison raised a quizzical eyebrow "Yeah?" and picking his head up, started to roll forward to rise.

"Let's not do that yet." Actor flattened his large hand over the Wardens chest, pinning him to the floor. "Chief get the Sergeant Major."

"I'm alright! Just let me up…"

"Better just lay there for a minute, babe. Sort of take stock."

Garrison closed his eyes and relaxed back on the floor, took a deep breath, and started methodically flexing muscles and moving joints. When he bent his knees, setting his feet on the floor, and reached his hand up to rub the back of his neck he open his eyes again, "I'm alright! Now help me up." he said with the stubborn edge of authority they'd grown used to.

Casino shared a look with Actor before reaching to grasp the hand held out to him, taking the Warden under the arm, helping him to his feet as Actor supported him from the other side. When he released him he looked down at his own hand, noting the blood smeared across his palm. "Oh yeah, you appear to be just fine." Pulling his handkerchief from his pocket he shoved the stained uniform sleeve up and twisted the cloth around the deep gouge the cuff had left on the other mans wrist. Looking over his shoulder he spotted the little cat burglar quietly picking up cap, briefcase and keys where they were strewn on the stairs and floor, "Good one Goniff! We oughta get another week off outta this."

"Knock it off Casino!" Garrison shot him an irritated glare as Actor helped him out of the hall and into the library.

Chief and the Sergeant Major arrived at a trot as the Lieutenant was being settled on the large sofa. "My word! What's happened 'ere now?" the Rawlins stared directly at Goniff who stood at the far side of the room still holding the things he'd gathered from the floor.

Garrison answered irritably, "Nothing! I just missed my footing on the steps. I'm fine"

"He fell down the stairs." Actor stated firmly and looked over at Goniff for confirmation. "Where were you two?"

Goniff shuffled his feet and shot a look at the Lieutenant before saying quietly with a slight grimace. "We was up near the top. I, uh, tipped the tray and some stuff fell off it."

"Jeeze! I thought you musta strung a trip wire or somethin'" Casino snorted.

"I said that's enough! Casino it was an accident, dammit, I don't want to hear another word about it." Garrison twisted on the sofa to find Goniff backing towards the door, still holding on to the case that held the briefing materials. "Goniff, bring that over here. Casino, get the key out of the safe."

Casino walked to the safe, spinning the dial through the combination he now knew by heart. They all knew he'd cracked it long ago, there was certainly no need to pretend for the Warden's benefit. He could have picked the lock on the case too. Heck, any one of them coulda done that, even the Warden was getting pretty good at it, but if the guy wanted to get traditional on them for the Sergeant Majors benefit he could play along. He pulled the door open and reached in to pick up the small key. Reaching the sofa the same time Goniff did he looked at the little man, shaking his head. "You know, I think you might have been wrong about that curse!"

"Casino! Not another word!" Garrison glared at the group gathered around him. He reached up for the key, wincing as he took the briefcase from Goniffs hand. "Come on, gather around here, we have mission to go over."

"Ah,,, begging your pardon, sir." the Sergeant Major spoke up, "You've got to get over to the medical building." He continued, only slightly cowed by Garrison's narrowed eyes and black gaze. "Regulations. Sorry, sir." The non com inquired seriously, "Shall I get a stretcher, sir? Or can you make it on your own?"

All but Goniff chuckled as Garrison dropped his head in his hand before looking up at the Sergeant in disbelief.

Backing towards the doorway the Brit hit the button on the intercom unit, ordering the staff car to be brought around to the front steps and directing the company clerk to notify the medical unit that they were on the way.

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Garrison rested the handset of the phone back in its cradle and looked out the windows at the British NCO standing on the broad steps out side. Three weeks! A concussion, followed by two cracked ribs and a injury to his wrist that had made it difficult for him even to button is own shirt. Finally he'd been cleared for full duty and they'd just been handed a part to play in an operation he'd been hearing rumors about for the last two months. He was ready! The inactivity had driven him crazy. He moved away from the desk, and, opening the French doors, stepped outside into the morning sunshine. "Where are they Sergeant Major?"

"I 'ave Casino and Actor over on the firing range, sir." the Brit jerked a thumb back over his shoulder as they walked around the corner of the building towards the large front entrance, "And Goniff climbing up the brickwork, round the side of the building. Chief's keepin' an eye on 'im. I, uh, didn't think, what with the way things 'ave been going that it would be prudent to give Goniff a loaded gun, sir."

Garrison gave a quick laugh, "Probably a wise decision. Get them together Sergeant." He moved up the stairs towards the portico, "Have them meet me in the map room."

There was a tearing snap of wood breaking, a swirling, deep-throated grating sound over head and a shouted "Watch it!" Garrison gasped as a razor sharp pain shot across his back and another drove into the calf of his right leg causing him to drop to his knees, as a large stone urn shattered behind him on the steps. He was still trying to struggle to his feet as the team converged on the front step, Chief racing around the corner of the building, Actor and Casino sprinting up from the firing range and Goniff scrambling down the stone on the front façade of the building. Two of the guards from the gate were running up the drive and two of the men from the motor pool behind the house had just rounded the corner.

Chief reached him first, dropping to his knees in front of him he took him by the shoulders.

"Are you alright?!"

"We've gotta get back across the channel! It's too damned dangerous around here!" he mumbled, staring into the young man's eyes before slumping forward onto his shoulder.

Actor stopped briefly by each man to check on them before heading inside to use the phone to summon the medic that had just been assigned to the estate's permanent force of guards. Considering the black cloud that seemed to have been hanging over Lieutenant Garrison for the last few weeks, he thought the corpsman might get a fairly thorough work out in the care and handling of minor injuries. He stepped into the Sergeant Majors office and picked up the first aid kit on the way back out.

By the time the medic jogged around the building from the barracks the laceration on the Sergeant Major's cheek had been cleaned with alcohol and covered with a temporary bandage, and Casino was working on cleaning his hands where he had scraped them on the stone steps. A field dressing was bound around Garrison's leg and Actor was easing him out of his shirt.

The young man cleared his throat, "Doesn't much look like it, but could anyone use any help?"

Garrison turned his head slightly, glancing over his bloodied shoulder at the new man. "Corporal Riley, see to Goniff will you?"

Goniff huddled miserably against the balustrade, as Chief tore his trouser leg back revealing a deep gouge in his shin just above the top of his boot.

Casino watched the medic help him limp over and sit down on the top step. He cocked a eyebrow in the little mans direction, "That jinx seems to be backfiring a bit there Goniff. We need to bury a toad at midnight or somethin' to see the back side a this bad luck streak a yours?"

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Reynolds considered the officer standing before him as he tapped his pen on the desk top. "You've been seeing rather a lot of the aid station in the last few weeks Lieutenant." He raised an eyebrow and continued, "Are you sure about this? You're not having any personal problems with this man?"

"Absolutely not, sir! The portico roof was rotten! I had it checked. It gave way under Goniffs weight and the urn just shifted and fell. He's lucky he didn't come all the way through and break his neck. My foot slipped on a spoon he dropped when I fell on the stairs, and he lost his balance and fell into me when we landed a few weeks back." Garrison assured his superior. "Pure accidents, sir. All of them." he finished with conviction.

The young man was leaning on a cane, his left arm rested in a sling. Reynolds motioned him to be seated. "Still, it might be best to keep him in front of you on this next one."

"Then we're still a part of this?" The Lieutenant sank gratefully into the chair that sat in front of the colonels' desk.

Reynolds chuckled and looked across at him, "I'd prefer yours to be the group we send in," He paused for a moment, "_**If **_you can manage to stay out of hospital."

Garrison laughed and rubbed at the new scar in the hairline over his right eye. "I can try, sir!"

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	2. Chapter 2

"We're going to be dropped in here" Garrison tapped the map, "and follow the river down to this area. We should be able to stay up in the hills above the town to scout the area out before we move down and get to work."

"That doesn't look very close to that!" Casino groused, jabbing at the map. "And I don't see any roads on that map. They don't expect us to hike in and out, do they?"

"No." he assured them, "They'll be dropping boats with us. We'll use the river to get down from the drop zone."

"The river!?" Goniff looked up in alarm, "Like canoes or something"

"Boats! I don't know how to…" Casino started to protest.

"You'll learn. We've got a couple of weeks to prepare for this one. We're heading up to Scotland tonight. That's one of the things we'll be going over." Turning his gaze on Casino. "You enjoyed yourself in Scotland, didn't you?"

Casino grinned back at him, "I sure did! And my wallet could use a refill."

Garrison looked around at the rest of the group, "Any of you ever been in a canoe or rafted down a river?"

"Gondolas in Venice and only as a passenger I'm afraid." Actor said smoothly.

"Me Dad used to take us in row boats on the river and sometimes on the lakes in the summer time is all. He showed me a bit but that's been a long time ago" Goniff said tentatively.

"Any body else?" He searched their faces. "Well Goniff, I guess that makes you one of our experts."

"What about Chief?" Casino asked.

"What'd you mean, 'What about Chief'?" the subject of the question growled.

"Well, all you guys know how to run canoes don't ya' kid? Isn't that somethin' that just sorta goes with the territory?"

"Pappy, you jerk! I grew up in a desert!" Chief snorted in disgust, "We had dry washes where I come from. When there was a storm the water would come boiling down along those, outta the canyons, bringing trees and boulders along with it! If you were smart you stayed the hell away from 'em."

"Swell," Casino groaned, "Havin' Goniff for an expert makes me feel real secure!"

"Alright, so we are all going to get wet. For what?" Actor pulled the conversation back around to the mission. "What is so important about this town?"

"The rail yards. The area is big in coal and manufacturing, so the yards are extensive, and busy." Garrison answered, "They want them destroyed."

Goniff stared at him, complaining "But that's what bombers are for!"

"It's been tried. They're too heavily protected by fighters and flak."

"So they send us in on the ground." Chief stated flatly.

"Yeah. Our job is to locate and destroy the flak installations. Once we knock those out it'll clear the way for the bombers to do their job."

"Do we have people in the area?" Actor pulled the map around to study it.

"Only one. We haven't heard from him in a while."

"Oh great!" Casino threw his hands up in disgust, "So we go in blind, without backup. Typical!"

"Hey Casino, we got each other!" Goniff jabbed the man in the arm with his elbow, earning himself a scowl.

"Alright, go get your gear together, we leave in thirty minutes."

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"Goniff! I swear, if you hit me with that oar again I'm gonna deck ya!" Casino was advancing on the little pick pocket, his paddle held in his hand like a bat.

Goniff backed away, keeping an arms distance between them, "Come on Casino, it was an accident! Besides, it's a paddle not an oar. A paddle has a grip on the end there and a oar…."

"Will you just shut up!" Casino shot a look skyward, "Whatever it's called if you knock me in the water with it one more time you've had it! Kapeesh?!"

"Casino, knock it off! If you don't listen when he calls to change sides, you're going to get hit. Now pay attention! Actor, you too. Come on, grab those boats and throw them on the truck. We're going to go up and try it again."

Chief rounded on their commander, "Come on Warden! We been at this since breakfast!"

"And you're going to keep at it 'til you show some improvement! We're going to switch things around. Chief, you're on me. Actor, you're with Lewis and Clark there. Maybe they just need a little space between them."

Garrison was amazed. The next run down the river was better. He and Chief worked well together and having Actor with the other two seemed to balance their efforts. The instructor had settled Goniff in the back to guide the boat and the other stronger two on either side to provide power. Casino wouldn't have to worry about changing sides in mid stroke any longer, unless one of them got tired he wouldn't have to change sides at all. They had enough time for a couple of more runs and then he'd turn them loose. Chief had been right, they'd been at it along time.'

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Garrison rounded on them fixing each man with a stare that was only broken when they looked away. He was mad and they damn well knew it. "I want you guys to cut it out! We have two more days up here and I don't want to hear one more word about curses, jinxes **or** bad luck charms." The subject of the conversation had been sent off to get some unneeded additional training in setting up the rafts.

Casino shifted around on the stool, leaning an elbow on the table, "Well you explain it then! All he had to do yesterday was walk by you, and you landed in the water again."

Garrison hadn't forgotten the icy drenching he'd taken the day before, he'd have bruises to remind him of the quick trip he'd taken down that particular section of river for a few days, in fact he was sitting on one now. "That didn't have anything to do with Goniff. The bank just gave way."

"Yeah! Right when he was walkin' by." Casino shook his head, "I never saw any one guy cause as much trouble as that walking disaster. Anything goes wrong around here and he's standin' right there!"

Actor watched Casino settle in for his argument and spoke up, "The Warden is right. Goniff has caused some of the accidents we have been having, there's no doubt about that. But to attribute all of our misfortunes to him is unreasonable."

"Well, we oughta be able to do somethin' about him." Casino was unwilling to let it drop and shot a look at Chief. "Don't you have some kinda Indian thing that'll neutralize him, kid?"

"What you'll 'do about him' is lay off him! You keep it up and he won't have any confidence left. And Casino," Garrison waited until the man looked him in the eye, "the base chaplain does _**not**_do exorcisms!"

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The final day of training had been plagued with all manner of problems and irritations. From the cold chow because of a fuel leak in the kitchens to Actor and Chief's unplanned swim in the river when their boat came around too fast and swamped. When the day had finally ended they were all exhausted. Garrison was beginning to wonder if something _**was**_ wrong with Goniff. He seemed to jump at every sound, every move they made around him. Expecting that something would go wrong and that he would be the cause of it, it did, and he was! What did they call it? Self fulfilling prophecy? It didn't help that Casino couldn't keep his mouth shut about jinxes and curses. The more the little man believed he'd mess up, the more he messed up. He'd even come and asked to be left behind on this one. Garrison rejected the idea, it would have only set him deeper in this rut of self doubt.

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The flight had been perfect. The jump had been perfect The landing had been perfect. Why did he feel they were headed for disaster?

"Alright, get those boats together. I'm going to take a look at the river." Moving out of the clearing Garrison headed down through the trees letting the sound guide him to water. He stood watching the river roll quietly past him. It was broad and smooth, with a deep green color that spoke of it's depth, small swirling eddies telling of how fast it was moving as the water just beneath the surface ran away from the top layer causing it to turn back on itself . The bank where he stood sloped gently down to the waters edge, a perfect place for them to launch the boats. The reports assured him that there was a long stretch of river that ran like this before the hills moved in on it, causing it to turn and twist its way through them before it funneled into a canyon that sat just above the town. That was what the training had been for, negotiating that section. Turning he started back up through the trees. He'd better get them at it.

"Hey! I think that might a been the best one a those we ever done!" Goniff grinned at Casino tentatively as he worked. "Everything come down just where it was 'spose to. Maybe our lucks changin'"

"Aw, don't start with that 'the Curse is lifted' stuff again! As far as I'm concerned the curse is standin' right here!"

"Casino, lay off!" Garrison stepped into the open moving across to stand next to Goniff, watching as his nimble fingers tied knots in the cord that helped keep the wooden floor secure, stiffening the larger boat. "You have that one ready to go?" At the little mans nod he continued, "Good, go check on Chief then. Make sure everything's alright." and moving in close he dropped his voice, " I don't want to sink somewhere on that river just because a valve isn't closed." Goniff flashed him a grateful smile and headed over to Chief and the smaller boat. Turning Garrison crossed his arms on his chest and stalked across to Casino. "Everything secure here?"

Casino slapped the bundle he'd been working on. The explosives they might need had been double wrapped to keep them dry, he'd dropped the package down in a dry sack and strapped that on a board that would be tied into the floor of his boat. "Yeah, everything's just fine." standing he stared defiantly back at the Warden.

"Good." Garrison smiled and said quietly, "Because if those explosives get wet, and we can't use them for any reason, I figure the hot air you generate will be enough to blow one of those guns, and I'll stuff you in the chamber myself." He stood, waiting as Casino continued to stare back at him, watching him struggle to control the wise cracking argument that fought to be let loose. Finally the other man gave a snort and a half smile flashed across his face before he nodded and turned away.

Actor stood, hoisting the parcel he'd made of the uniforms, supplies and papers they'd brought. The same method had been used to keep them safe and dry, this package would be secured in the bottom of the smaller boat, the one Garrison and Chief would be taking. Each man had a pistol on his belt that would be sacrificed to the river but also carried a water proof pouch with weapon, ammunition, first aid supplies and rations for three days. Anything else they needed they would find along the way.

Goniff and Actor moved the packs down to the rivers edge and went back to get the smaller raft while the others turned the larger boat on its side and walked it through the trees towards the river, Chief carefully guiding them around any projecting rock or branch that might damage the rubber and cause a leak. They'd been assured that there was little chance of this, but no one was willing to take the slightest risk.

"Alright, get those packs secured in the boats and start the safety checks" Safety checks had always drawn groans of protest from the men, but now that they were here, about ready to go into a river they'd never seen before, they went quietly, efficiently about the business of making sure of their equipment. As soon as the boats had been checked the paddling 'teams' changed craft and started through again. Satisfied that everything was properly rigged they donned the life vests and after having those double checked by their partners prepared to launch the boats.

"Keep in the shade along the bank if you can and stay low. We don't have any reason to think we were observed coming in, or that any one knows we're here, but there's no reason to take chances" It was an unnecessary caution, they all knew how to stay out of sight and safe, but he was used to giving it and they were used to hearing it. "If you spot someone on shore DO NOT fire your weapon. We don't want anyone shooting at us."

Casino raised an amused eyebrow, "What if they start first?"

Garrison shrugged, "That'd be a different story. Go ahead and let 'em have it. Try and take them out before they can radio down stream. It's not likely anyone will be able to follow along and threaten us from the banks, but if we're spotted we'll have to be on the watch for people looking for us down river."

They launched the large boat first, Garrison and Chief steadying it, standing knee deep in the cold water as the others climbed in and settled into position. The river curved here, creating a quiet cove where the current wasn't as strong. Goniff turned them up stream and they easily kept station while Chief climbed into the bow of the smaller boat and Garrison shoved off from the bank, sending them into the current as he settled himself in the back on his knees.

They had come in early in the morning using the first quiet pearl gray hours to prepare, it was almost mid morning now. The sun sparkled off the deep green water as it found its way through the trees and they moved through dappled sunlight and deep shade getting used to the river, getting comfortable with the boats and making slight adjustments to the loads they carried. The river ran like this for several miles so they took the opportunity to practice and refine what they'd learned and get comfortable with the way the boats responded before they headed into rougher waters. There was no way of checking, but it seemed the river was running fast, carrying them quickly, quietly downstream. There was a barely discernable rumbling in the north, up river, so vague that each man thought he might not be hearing anything at all.

The terrain on either side of the river had gradually changed, moving in close and compressing the water into a narrower winding course. They spoke very little, and then quietly, a word to call attention to a feature in the river or on the bank, a quiet instruction to adjust the course of the boat. Shortly after noon Garrison waved them off the river. The boats were pulled up and secured on the bank, out of sight of the water. The men were gathered under the trees.

"Blimey! I thought we was never stoppin'. I'm famished!" Goniff tore into the ration pack, consuming it as if it were the most lovingly prepared home cooked food.

Casino looked across from his position leaning against the root of a large tree and shook his head, "You're always famished. How do you stay so scrawny the way you eat? I swear Warden, he's got worms or somethin'. You oughta get him checked out when we get back."

"Aw"! Hey now, I just got a good healthy appetite is all!"

"Goniff the only way that appetite would be healthy is if you was triplets" Chief observed quietly causing laughter to rise and fall within the group.

Garrison watched them. That was more like it. He let the joking and sparring continue for several more minutes while he checked their position on the maps. Folding everything away he got to his feet, "Come on you guys, we still have a long way to go."

The sound, the voice of the river had change, almost as if it was speaking a slightly different language. It was colder than Garrison remembered and the color had changed as well. It was slightly milky now. When they slid out into the current it seemed to push at them, impatiently raising the back of the raft slightly and hurrying them along, the sensation caused a prickle of unease across his shoulders. Chief sensed it too and he leaned to the side to stare down into the river. "What is it?"

The young man shifted his position and looked back, "Dunno. The river's startin' to change color. They do that at home when there's a storm."

They both looked up at the sky. What could be seen of it through the trees was clear and blue and benign but what was directly overhead might have little impact on the condition of the river. The watershed that fed into this course they were riding covered hundreds of square miles, the storm that might cause this could be too far away for them to be aware of in anything other than this sensation of being hurried along by the current. There was no other choice but to keep going.

ggg

It was getting too rough, they'd had too many close calls with the debris that was being swept down the river, Garrison waved them on to the bank. The larger raft turned and pulled toward shore, as soon as the bow slid onto the gravel Casino was out over the side and dragging it up out of the current. Further into the center of the river Garrison and Chief were having to work hard to move across the fast flowing water to safety. Actor and Goniff were out of the boat now pulling it up onto the security of the bank. The small raft had just nosed in downstream and Chief was stepping on shore when a log spun out of the main current and rammed into the back of the boat sending him onto his hands and knees on the rocks. It turned under the stern of the small craft, lifting it clear of the water, knocking the paddle from the Warden's hands and throwing him onto his back in the bottom of the raft. Chief pushed himself around and made grab for the lines that wrapped the bow but the current tore them from his hands and he watched as the boat was pulled back into the river out into the fast flowing water, turn sideways against a large rock and flip over. The force of the water caught at the side of the raft spinning it as it carried it down stream. He had a fleeting glimpse of the back of a jacket and head before he lost the Warden in the boiling white foam of the river

ggg

Garrison turned, fighting to keep himself in position in the roiling waters, battling to keep his head up so he could breathe, so he could see what was coming. He looked towards the rapids and was shaken to see that down where the rumbling and roaring was at it's loudest the river disappeared from sight. Hair stood on end along the back of his neck and even in the frigid cold of the river a chill ran through him. As he was drawn closer a large sculptural shape became visible beyond the horizon created by the flat, sheet like plane of the water. Rearing up eighteen feet from the surface of the river, it stood motionless, its crest curling down its upstream side, beckoning to him. He had no time to react before he was swept over the falls down into the hole at the base of the standing wave.

Chief had been pounding along the bank trying to follow, trying to keep Garrison in sight. He saw him drawn into the V-shaped chute of smooth water and lost sight of him as he was pulled over the edge. He kept going, past the falls, down where the river widened out a bit and the freight train roar of the current diminished. Scanning the water he held his breath as he waited for the Warden to surface, so intent on his search he didn't realized that Casino had skidded to a stop behind him until the man grabbed hold of his shoulder and pulled him around, shaking him hard.

"I said. Where is he? Can you see him?" Casino shouted to make himself heard over the waters roar.

Chief gulped for air and shook his head. "He went over the falls, he hadn't come up yet!" Swinging back around to face the water he stared at the fifteen foot drop that had taken Garrison and the huge fluid monster that stood guard over the spot. They watched the river, waiting, searching for any sign of him. Suddenly Casino was pounding him on the back, shouting again.

"There! There he is!"

Chief sighted along the arm Casino held out and saw a form in the water. Face down, floating towards another chute that ran between a jumble of rocks and another large boulder. Just before the current caught him again they saw him lift an arm from the water and turn, almost lazily, onto his back. In the split second before he started to run it registered in Chief's mind that Garrison was no longer wearing his life jacket.

Chief and Casino ran side by side, a hundred yards down stream, pulling to a stop on the bank below the small falls they'd seen Garrison go over. Chiefs' sharp eyes spotted the figure clinging to a rock that sat just above water level below the large boulder that made up the near side of the chute. The water curved around this obstruction causing an eddy, a relatively calm spot in the river that Garrison had been lucky enough to be swept into. He was now struggling to get a more secure hold on the life saving rock before he could be pulled back into the main current.

Casino reached out and stopped Chief before he could wade into the water, "You can't get to him." he shouted, "It's runnin' too fast." He pulled the young man back from the rivers edge and they turned, searching for something they could use to rescue their stranded leader.

There was a yell from upstream and they looked up to see Goniff running towards them. He pulled up in front of them panting for breath and lifting a coil of rope off his shoulder. Casino grabbed it from him, running it through his hands until he found the free end. Pulling it loose he started to make it secure around his waist but was brought up short by a piercing whistle from the river. Garrison was up straddling the rock violently shaking his head. With a wave of his arm he ordered them to toss him the rope.

"Here, give it here." Goniff held a small, heavy, curved branch in his hands, he took the rope from Casino and quickly secured the end of it through a hole that had been worn through by weather, water and insects. "Have a go, mate. You've got the best eye." he tossed the wood to Chief and started to lay out several coils of the rope neatly on the bank before wrapping the end of it around his back and bracing his feet.

Chief tugged on the rope and then swung the wood up over and around his head with increasing force. On the fourth turn he let it go and they watched as it arched out over the river, dropping short by several feet. Casino pulled the line back, Goniff carefully coiling it onto the bank. They handed it back to Chief. He took time to set his feet and sent the rope thrumming around his head again, paying out a little more line with each revolution. Eyeing a spot in the river where the water dipped into the chute above Garrison he let go of the rope with his right hand but let it feed out through the fingers of his left. This time it dropped just where he'd sent it. The branch floated neatly down stream into the chute, catching the rope on the back side of the boulder just above the Wardens perch. Jerking the rope up over his head Chief worked it carefully up the backside of the large rock and dropped it down in the water within easy reach of the Wardens' outstretched hand.

Garrison cursed the numbness in his fingers and tried to work the rope into a knot again. Over, under, around and down. Damn! Once more. His brain seemed to be going numb too. He gave a tug and the rope held. Looking across the expanse of whitewater he gave the three waiting on the bank the high sign an slipped off his rock. The current took him immediately, trying to pull him out of the rope the same way it had torn first the life jacket and then the heavy wool sweater off his back. The water pounded him from upstream, boiling over his head and driving him down towards the rocky bottom. He could feel a pull from the rope around his waist and used all the strength left in his legs to push along in that direction. Just when he thought his lungs would burst his head broke the surface and he gulped in air and water before being forced down again.

gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg


	3. Chapter 3

He was laying on his side on the stones along the bank, gasping for air and coughing up river. Someone was slapping him firmly between the shoulders. It seemed like it had taken a long time to get here.

"Goniff, I swear, you gotta go get that toad!"

Garrison turned on his back on the rocks still gasping for breath. Finally opening his eyes, rolling his head back and forth he managed to rasp out "Wouldn't work." He looked up into Goniffs stricken face and swallowed, wetting his lips "I think I'd have to be the one to get it. And stuff like this needs a full moon." He smiled up at the little pick pocket and the other two standing over him, finally managing a deep breath, "that's not for another two weeks yet."

Actor dropped down on the stones next to the Warden and lifted him up to rest against his leg so that he could breathe easier. The river had stripped him of his life vest and sweater and shredded the trousers and shirt it had left him, he was ice cold. "Chief see if you can find some sort of shelter, somewhere safe enough to make a fire."

Garrison gripped his arm, shaking his head, "The boat. You have to go after the boat. We can't afford for it to be found"

Chief caught the look Garrison flashed up at them and held it. Slapping Casino on the back he turned and started down river. "Come on Pappy!"

Goniff called to them as they started away downstream. "Here!" He'd gathered the rope up in a large coil again and tossed it to Casino, "You might need this… And stay outta that river, eh?"

Casino accepted the advice with a wave as he turned to follow Chief down stream.

The Warden managed to pull himself away from the con man's support and up onto his knees but he was still weak from his battle with the river and the effort had winded him. Actor stood reaching a hand down to help him to his feet. "Come on, it will be warmer up in the trees."

Garrison groaned as they got him up and a look of surprise crossed his face when his knees buckled under him. Standing there, supported on either side he looked down, frowning, "I don't have any bones in my legs!"

"S'OK Warden they'll stiffen back up in a bit." Goniff advised brightly from his side as they helped him up into the trees. "I always feel like that after jumpin' outta one a you'r ruddy planes!"

They moved at a right angle, directly away from the river and up into the trees and found themselves in a jumble of rocks that lay at the base of the cliffs running along the east side of the canyon. Goniff scrambled through them and quickly discovered a chamber topped by a large slab that had fallen across the top of three huge rocks that made up its walls. The final side was the cliff face itself, and it was reached by walking around to the right and along that face. It was a little tricky, the three of them side stepping along, but it was reached soon enough and the Warden settled gratefully down onto the thick layer of leaves blown in on the last few seasons winds. Actor firmly over ruled the order of 'no fire' and while he cleared a bare area on the ground at the base of one of the large rocks Goniff slipped out to find wood. He made a quick trip down to the river and left a pile of rocks pointing off in the direction of their shelter. It wasn't long before he was sidling back into the chamber, his arms full of dry twigs and branches.

"You look like you been through that big washer they got back there in the base laundry! How'r you doing Lieutenant?"

"I'm fine."

Goniff gave him a knowing grin. He bloody well didn't look fine!

"I just wish the ground would stop moving." As long as he kept his eyes open Garrison could convince his confused inner ear he was sitting quietly upright. It was when his eyes dropped closed the trouble started, and that was happening with annoying frequency. The river had beaten every ounce of strength out of him. He was keeping his eyes open by sheer will and felt even that gradually slipping away as he watched Actor start the small fire. The warmth that reached him, the soft rhythmic crackling and the hypnotic flicker of the flames as they licked up and around the wood, were his undoing. His eyes closed and the world started to spin. He felt himself being tumbled over and over, the roar of water in his ears, the feel of the rocks gouging against his skin, his lungs burning for air he couldn't reach. When he opened his eyes again the fire had burned down, a small can was steaming gently from its place on the rocks at the side and Goniff was crouched next to the fire adding wood to the glowing coals. The collar of a wool jacket draped over his shoulders scratched at his jaw. He pushed himself up on an elbow. "Where are the others?"

Goniff looked over his shoulder. "Chief's out keepin' watch," he picked up the can and moved over and placed it on the ground next to the Warden. "Casino and Actor went up after the explosives and stuff. Here. Actor said you was to have some a this when you woke up."

Garrison eyed the steaming container suspiciously. "What is it?"

"Casino called it K ration stew!" Goniff laughed as he lifted the can up and took an appreciative sniff. "S'not bad really. Chief found some wild onions and things to kinda perk it up." He held it out until the Warden finally took it from him. "Go on, give it a try. You know what Actor'll be like if you don't do like he says."

Garrison took a sip, his eyebrows arched up in surprise. "Not bad!" He'd finished off a good portion of the concoction by the time the others returned. He watched as Casino shrugged his burden off his shoulder, letting it drop near the rocks furthest from the fire. "Any of that stuff get wet?"

"Hell no!" he snorted. "We landed our boat, remember?" Moving across the small chamber he settled on the ground next to Garrison. "And you oughta be glad you flipped out when you did. That boat of yours was trashed when we found it. There was a big pile up of trees and stuff and it was hung up there." Casino shook his head, remembering. "It's all calm on the other side a that though. Chief and me went a little way past that and found the end a this damn canyon."

Garrison looked up "Did you spot the town? It's supposed to be right below the mouth of the canyon."

"Yeah. We took a look at it." Casino leaned back against the rock. "We even scouted out a place for us to use. Looks like somebody built themselves a fishin' shack up here. It looks down on the town. Doesn't look like anybody's been in it for a couple a years. I don't think you'll wanna start a fire there, I think they might be able to see the smoke from the town."

"You guys just earned your pay for the month."

Casino laughed. "Babe, I earned my pay when I jumped outta that plane!."

The small cabin was perched on a bluff above the river and had a good view of the town below and the surrounding hills. They moved their supplies down and settled in. There would be a fly over tonight and they'd be able to spot the position of the guns from here. Tomorrow they'd move to those locations and decided the best way to destroy them. Two more commando teams were ready and waiting in England to drop in as back up if they needed it. The area contact would have to be found to send out that call if it was required.

ggg

They heard the rumble of planes in the distance and sirens down in the town warning the people into shelters. As the guns flashed from the hills around the town Garrison made note of their position on the map he'd laid out across his legs. The roar and flare of one caused him to frown and swear as he marked its location.

"What's wrong?"

"That one's right down in the town." he turned to look at Actor. "We'll have to go down in there and find it." They listened as the planes moved out of range overhead and the guns fell silent. "Casino, Goniff you'll check the emplacement on the north side of town, Chief the south. You know what we're looking for. I want to know where the entrances are and what kind of security we'll have to get through to get inside. We might as well get this over with." Checking his watch as he got stiffly to his feet. "I want everyone back here by Oh five-hundred, no matter what. If we have to go back to one of the spots to get more details we will. You've got seven hours. Take off… And be careful"

Chief moved off into the trees, following the contour of the hills around to the south. Working on his own didn't bother him, in fact, he preferred it. He knew he could get in and out of most places without being seen and without one of the others to look out for he could move fast. He figured he'd be the first one back at the cabin. That suited him too. It'd give him time to scout around the area and make sure it was safe for the others to head back in.

Casino and Goniff made their way carefully down hill. Garrisons map showed a road winding away to the north and they'd use that to get around to the guns position. They figured it'd be above them, so a quick climb up through the trees would get them in position. Casino was in the lead. It wasn't that he didn't trust Goniff, most of the time he'd trust the guy with his life but there was no doubt about it, the little second story man sure seemed to be a magnet for bad luck lately. And it rubbed off! Casino cursed silently. He'd lost his shirt playin' poker with that guy in Scotland. Chief and Actor tried to convince him the man had been a cheat, a card sharp. He didn't believe it. Nobody was slick enough to put one over on him . He knew all the moves! Hell, he invented some of 'em. Nope, had to have something' to do with Goniff. He'd been standin' right over his shoulder. Well, he'd just keep him back out of the way, out of trouble 'til whatever alignment of planets, or numbers, or whatever, shifted and things got back to normal. No sense takin' chances.

Actor turned and waited, Garrison was lagging behind and that certainly wasn't normal for him. He watched as the younger man moved up towards him, his normally fluid movement halting and stiff. "Are you sure about this? I can easily get the information we need and bring it back to you. There's no need…."

"It's alright" Actor could hear the smile in the Warden's voice acknowledging his concern, "I'm just stiff from bouncing off all those rocks in the river. Moving helps, I'll be fine." Garrison knew his body and his limits. He was stiff and sore and slow, but he was sure if an emergency came up the adrenaline rush would wash all of that away and he'd be ready. It'd take extra time to get in and out, but they had it.

ggg

Chief sat up on the rise to the side of the cabin. He'd made a search around the structure and assured himself there was no one laying in wait for them. He couldn't find any sign anyone had been around the cabin at all. That seemed strange to him. Set here close to the river, it's back to the trees and with a view out over the town that spread across the valley it was a nice spot. It was the right size too. Small, compact, just enough for a group their size. There was just one big room with a place for cookin' in one corner, the rest of the place given over to living. A large table set to one side looked like it served as a work bench, as well as a place to eat. There was a loft overhead for sleepin, and it had windows up at the peak of the roof on either end. He liked it. It reminded him a little of his grandfathers place. The door faced the wrong way though, opening onto the west. They'd had a fine view of the sunset, but the way the mountains came down behind the cabin sunrise was blocked. They probably wouldn't see the sun here until mid morning.

He stopped, listening for a moment before moving off towards the front of the building. He waited in the trees until the sound of the other two moved beyond him, letting them get several feet away before he stepped out of cover behind them. "You guy's are makin' enough noise for 'em to hear you down in town." Disgust was evident in his quiet voice. He watched as the other men turned, Goniff dropping into a crouch, his pistol already in his hand. Casino was clumsy, off balance, favoring his left leg. Chief moved up quickly and offered his hand for support. "What happened?"

"Aw, I tripped and twisted my ankle."

"Gettin' clumsy in your old age Pappy?" Chief slipped under the safe crackers arm, helping him towards the cabin.

Casino glared at Goniff, narrowing his eyes. "I had some help."

"Come on Casino" the little man pleaded. "You told me to stick close and that's what I was doin'"

"You didn't need to be right under my feet you little jinx!" Casino saw the quick look Chief gave them and felt the slight break in his stride. "Don't worry, everything went fine out at the gun. He walked up the back of my leg about ten minutes ago."

"Well you shouldn't a stopped short like that without givin' a bloke some kinda warning."

"There was something on the road…"

"It was a deer! I tried to tell ya that but you shushed me!"

Chief smiled and changed direction, heading down hill. "Come on, we better get down to the river. You can soak your ankle in it."

"Soak his head'd be more like it!"

ggg

Casino looked up as the door opened and Chief stepped back inside. "Any sign of them?" He'd spent thirty minutes soaking his foot in the ice cold water of the river, then they'd moved back up to the cabin and torn one of the curtains into strips wrapping the sore joint up before it could swell again He'd had it resting up on the table while they waited for Actor and the Warden to show up. They were more than an hour late.

'Nothin'" the young man crossed to the table, pulled one of the chairs out and sat down resting his arms in front of him. "I went all the way down to the edge a town. There's a trail that runs right down there along the river. Didn't' see anything of 'em."

Goniff came to stand at the end of the table. "What'd we do now?"

With both Garrison and Actor gone there was no clear-cut leader. Left on their own the three men would hammer out some kind of plan and whoever had the best idea would take over. Casino chewed at the inside of his cheek. "We gotta pack the stuff up and get it outta here in case we need to move."

Chief shoved his chair back and stood up. "There's a cave up in the trees behind the place. I checked it out while I was waitin' for you to get back. We can still see the cabin from there." There was no question in his mind that they would wait and find out what happened to Actor and Garrison and try and get them back if they could.

Goniff walked to the corner of the room, reaching down he hoisted one of the packs that they'd stored there and tossed it to Chief, shouldering the other one he turned and watched Casino slide his foot into his boot and start lacing it up. "You gonna be able to climb on that?"

"Yeah. I'll make it" He tried his weight on his foot, it was stiff and sore, but it would hold him. He looked up and caught Goniff's eye. "It's nothin'," he assured him. "just a little sore." Picking up the utility belts they'd slung onto the back of the chairs as they'd waited he cast a look around the cabin. They'd have to come back down and make sure they left no sign of their recent occupancy. No sense leaving clues layin' around for the Krauts to find if they'd picked the other two up. He'd taken a step towards the door when Chief flattened against the wall and brought his hand up, his blade sliding out of the harness and into position. Goniff dropped back into the shadow in the corner of the room his pistol in his hand, Casino crouched down behind the table. He hadn't heard anything, but Chief had too good a track record for him to waste any time doubting him. Casino watched as the Indian tensed, listening, then took a deep breath and reach up to lock the knife back in the rig he wore on his wrist. Reaching out the young man grasp the door knob and jerked it open.

"'No matter what,' huh? You'r late."

Garrison and Actor move through the door, past the disapproving stare of the groups scout. Garrison took note of their stance, Goniff's weapon, the packs and belts that were close at hand, even Casinos slightly off balance posture as he approached the table. "What happened to you?"

"Me! What in the hell happed to you guys? You were 'spose to be back here almost two hours ago!" As always anxiety made the man short tempered, a condition that seemed to have infected all three of them as they shared irritated glances between them.

"We had some trouble on the road." Actor's calm statement snapped all attention on the two new arrivals, and it quickly focused on the condition of the uniform the Warden had changed to after they'd brought the clothes up from the ruined raft the day before. The seam along the back of the right shoulder was torn out, several of the jackets buttons were missing and the fabric of the trouser leg hung in tatters. His hair was disheveled, his face smeared with dirt and a handkerchief was wrapped around his left hand.

"Bloody Hell! What's happened now?" Goniff pulled one of the chairs away from the table and turned it so Garrison could sit down. The little man shot Casino a triumphant glance. "I wasn't anywheres near him!" and pulled a chair out for himself and sat facing the Warden, his back firmly turned against the momentarily speechless east coast thief. "Are you OK Lieutenant?"

Amusement flashed in Garrison's eyes as he looked from Goniff's vindicated concern to Casino's open mouthed amazement. "I was just a little slow getting out of the way. I'm fine." He hoisted a sack up onto the table and looked around at his men before opening it revealing the bread and cheese they'd brought up from the early market in the town. "You guys get what you went after?"

Casino pulled a chair around and straddled it. "Oh no you don't! What in the hell happened?"

Garrison eased back in the chair and took a deep breath as Actor tore the bread in pieces and handed it around, Chief was setting to work slicing the cheese and Goniff's food related curiosity had discovered the fruit still in the bottom of the sack on the table. "We were on the road about a mile from here, car came around the curve too fast," he shrugged. "I had to jump for it."

"And it looks like you almost made it." Casino raised a sarcastic eyebrow and looked from one to the other. "What'r we doin' still sittin' here? Weren't you two spotted?"

Actor took up the story. "The car went off the road and hit a tree. The occupants didn't make it." he patted the bulge in his pocket. "We have their papers, and the car is hidden off the road."

Jeeze! It was like pullin' teeth! "AND?"

"And, we found the location of the gun in town. It's on a knoll that sits right in the middle of the grounds of a large hospital. And the man in the car was a specialist from Italy headed to the hospital. And he had a German officer with him in the car, some sort of liaison or assistant."

"So you blokes can just step into their uniforms and drive right through the gate."

"That's the idea."

"You'r kinda scuffed up there Warden. How'r you gonna explain that?"

Garrison laughed. "Well I _**have**_just been in a car accident. Wait'll you see the car, I'm a perfect match."

Actor set his food aside and reached down to retrieve the package of 'borrowed' supplies he'd brought in with him from the floor by his feet. "We'd best get you wrapped up. You've started some of those scrapes bleeding again, they'll add the perfect touch to the bandages."

An hour later he was nearly immobilized, incased in layers of gauze and tape. The mauling he'd taken in the river had left bruises and patches of missing skin over his shoulders, elbows, knees and back. The flying leap he'd made out of the path of the speeding car and into the ditch by the side of the road added a few new gouges and caused the crusty surface of some of the earlier injuries to crack and start to weep again but to make all the damage look like it was from the same accident he'd told Actor to scrub the scabs away from the day old injuries before wrapping them up. Garrison wasn't so sure that had been a good idea now that almost every part of him was throbbing and aching in protest. The other men had reported on what they'd found at the other gun emplacements and they'd discussed possible ways of destroying the sites as the con man worked, keeping his mind off the discomfort. He was leaning back in his chair now, watching Actor put the finishing touches on the bandage around Casinos ankle, just beginning to be glad of the aspirin Actor had stolen from the pharmacy when he'd broken into it after the accident.

"Casino, we'll be using you as the driver. That limp of yours fits right in with our story."

The safecracker nodded then turned a speculative eye on Actor, smiling. "What about Herr Doktor there? Shouldn't we mess him up a little?"

Actor turned and looked back at him. "I am a physician Casino." Smiling smugly at the other mans puzzled look. "Finely tuned powers of observation and a logical mind."

"Huh?"

"I saw what was coming and braced myself."

Casino laughed, shaking his head. One of these days that con artist was gonna get his perfect self dirtied and wrinkled and he just hoped he'd be around to see it. "When do we have to be down there?"

"Not until tomorrow morning." Garrison raised his hand to pre-empt their questions, "We were able to find our contact. He's with a larger group now. They're setting our accident story over in the next village where they operate. They'll be handling the papers and uniforms we'll need. A message will be sent to the director of the hospital explaining the delay. Apparently, since I was unlucky enough to be thrown from the car, the local doctor decided to keep me at his place over night." He got stiffly to his feet, "That'll give me a chance to get a better look at those other two installations."

"So will the other blokes be helpin' us blow those guns up?" Goniff asked hopefully.

Garrison shook his head, "No, they aren't set up to go into the sites. That'll be up to us. They can offer support though. Supplies, transportation, information about the immediate area, that sort of thing."

"Well, it's more than we thought we were gonna have comin' in." Chief stepped to the door, taking it for granted that he'd be going with the Warden on his little fact finding mission.

ggg

Garrison spent the morning observing one facility and the afternoon staring down at the other. Watching the movement in and out of the sites, getting the pattern of patrols down, taking note of the size of the deployment at each location. He and Actor hadn't been able to do this for the installation on the hospital campus. They'd have to wait until tomorrow when they had a reason to be on the grounds. He had the beginnings of an idea. It would depend on what they were able to find out tomorrow, the underground groups' capabilities, and their ability to get a message back to England. He'd be able to check on the groups resources tonight when they met up in the town to the north. He, Actor and Casino had to be seen leaving the doctor's home there in the morning

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	4. Chapter 4

He'd donned glasses and chosen a moustache from the small kit he'd brought with him. Dressed in a expertly tailored dark suit he looked every inch the cerebral medical professional. Garrison watched as Actor settled in to his persona, marveling at his ability to assume the personality and physical traits of another, changing his gestures, facial expressions, speech patterns, even the way he walked to fit the character he was playing. He'd seen him turn himself into a stranger without any disguise other than the control he had over his own body and wondered if the man they knew was real or just another mask he used as a tool of his trade.

They'd taken the papers from the accident and the group Armin Rzehak led made the uniforms fit the facts they contained with the supplies they'd accumulated. The only variation was Casino. Armin added his own touch to explain away his inability to speak and his limited understanding of the language while the forger in the group made up new papers.

The underground leader had been a surprise. He was tall, nearly as tall as Actor. Black hair, eyes so blue and dark they were nearly black. He wore a full beard to cover the scars that were etched into his face. He wasn't yet thirty but the things he'd seen, the damage done to him made him appear much older. His left leg had been amputated above the knee, sacrificed to a grenade thrown into his position by one of his own side as he fought for the Fatherland.. The same explosion threw fragments of metal into his chest, damaging a lung so badly it too had been removed, another piece lodging in his throat, causing his voice to come in a strangled whisper. He was still strong though, he could still do the work they set him at the munitions factory. He still had the stamina to complete his duties there and go on to organize the underground group they were meeting with now.

Garrison explained as he pinned the medal to Casino's uniform. "They award this when a man's been seriously injured. Armin got it when he lost his leg, but it would be given if the injury caused blindness or deafness. It should get you back out the gate with no problem after you drop us off."

Casino nodded and craned his neck to look down on the gold medal. He'd pulled this off once before, but this would be a quick in and out, he thought gratefully. This time he didn't have to stay inside, that would be up to the Warden and Actor. He'd be outside with Goniff and Chief in case anything went wrong. He'd be out there working with the rest of the people in Armin's group, getting the stuff they'd need to blow the damn guns so they could get outta here and back to England.

ggg

"Alright Casino, we've been through this before." Garrison said calmly from behind him. They were lined up behind two other cars, waiting to get onto the hospital grounds.

Actor spoke up, adding his own advice, "Just remember not to respond to anything you hear. Watch the man speak and let him see you doing it."

"Yeah, yeah. I know what I'm doin'" Casino looked in the rearview mirror and watched Actor pull himself up in the stiff, self-important posture that came so naturally to him. He shifted his gaze to Garrison, leaning in the corner directly behind him, eyes closed, chin resting on his chest. The cars in front of them had moved through the check point and the guard was shouting for him to pull the car forward. He let him shout, waiting for the solider to move away from his position and start towards the car before he put it in gear and nosed up to the barrier. Leaning to get a better look out the window he smiled and squinted up at the man who was now glaring down at him, gritting orders out through clenched teeth. Casino raised his eyebrows and let his eyes open wide in innocence. As he shifted the morning sun glinted off the medal and drew the guards attention. The man frowned a moment, then stuck out his hand, snapping his fingers under Casino's nose, tapping the open palm with the fingers of his other hand. Casino raised his chin and put up his hand in understanding. Turning he picked up the papers that were laying on the seat next to him and handed them through the window. The guard took them and flipped them open, checking them against the clipboard he'd been holding under his arm. The man stepped back and surveyed the car, taking note of the crumpled fender, the crack in the windscreen, and the long scratch along the drivers side. Leaning down he peered at the two men in the back, frowning at Garrison before handing the papers back to Casino and waving them through.

As Casino eased the car past the guard shack and onto the campus Garrison pulled his head up and let it rest back against the seat.

Actor spoke up from behind him. "That was a little over done, don't you think?"

Casino snorted. "You should talk!" He followed the road that curved away around a large manicured lawn and pulled to a halt at the bottom of the steps that led up into the side entrance of main building. He let Actor get himself out while he leaned in to help the Warden. "You sure you'r only actin'?"

Garrison rested his weight on Casino's shoulder as they watched two orderlies follow Actor back down the stairs. "Just get the bags out of the back and then get out of here."

As soon as he handed the Warden over to the first guy he moved around and lifted the bags out of the back. Stepping to the front of the car he handed both bags to the second orderly and watched as the procession made its way up the stairs and disappear into the building. Climbing back behind the wheel he started the engine and headed the car back towards the gate. The guard waved him through the barrier, he didn't even have to stop.

Casino checked his watch, it'd taken less than ten minutes.

Now came the hard part, the waitin'. One of the resistance guys was working as an orderly at the hospital. They hadn't met him yet, he coulda been one of the guys that was waitin' on the steps. He was gonna run messages out to them, let 'em know what the others were findin' out and when they needed to meet, but they didn't figure they'd be doin' that until the next day.

They'd taken him directly to his meeting with the hospital administrator, he had no idea where Garrison had ended up. The meeting had taken over an hour and then there was a tour of the wards and grounds. The administrator had finally shown him to his office after lunch and he'd been relieved to see his 'aide', Hauptman Eisler, waiting for him. The young officer came stiffly to his feet and bowed formally on his introduction to the administrator. He remained standing as the man took his time about leaving. When the door was finally closed on the pompous bureaucrat Garrison lowered himself carefully on to the chair that sat next to the desk "You look terrible! Are you all right?" Actor frowned down at him.

"I've been better."

The Warden was pale and a fine sheen of sweat moistened his forehead. Stepping to the sideboard Actor poured a glass of brandy and sat it on the desk near his hand. "Where did they take you? What happened?"

Garrison picked up the glass and took a sip then looked up at the older man. "Oh they took me over to the clinic." He heaved a sigh. "And it's called debridement. Apparently they're quite fond of it here."

Actor sat down behind the desk and winced in sympathy "Ouch!"

"That's an understatement." He took another sip of the brandy and shook his head. "I thought you were rough. I'm pretty sure they scrubbed down to bone in a couple of places." Raising the glass again Garrison looked over the top of it at the man across the desk. "Look, don't let anybody get the idea you're too understanding will you, because I told them I'd rather risk infection than cross you."

"I take it they want you back?"

"Yeah, at six... I told them you wouldn't like it."

"Maybe it would be better if I told them I would prefer to do it myself." Laughing at the look on the Lieutenant's face he added, "Colianni's a psychiatric specialist, they tend to be a bit peculiar. It wouldn't be too hard to convince the staff that he might be a sadist."

"I don't care what you do, as long as I don't have to go back there." The Lieutenant raised the glass again, tipping it up he drained the rest of the brandy in one long swallow.

"Will you be able to get around the grounds?" Actors concern was real, but he already knew the answer.

"Yeah. Just let this brandy circulate around a minute and I'll be fine." Garrison took a deep breath before he got to his feet. He grimaced and closed his eyes. "Scheiße!" Tugging his tunic into place he squared his shoulders, opening his eyes he looked down at Actor. "Doctor Colianni, unless you need me, I'll see you back here at eighteen-hundred. I've arranged for us to go back into the town for dinner."

"No, I'll just be going over files today, I won't be seeing any patients until tomorrow." The con man looked up, smothering a smile. " Try and stay out of sight, will you?"

An eyebrow quirked up, "I'll do my best. I don't know what I'd do if one of them spotted me. I don't think I'd be able to move fast enough to get away."

Actor laughed as he watched the man move carefully towards the door, "Well, if you don't show up here at six, I'll know where to find you."

"Just see to it that you do!"

Garrison walked along the path that led back around the main hospital. He must look awful. He wasn't having any trouble with guards, but about every other person he met that was decked out in medical garb seemed to think he needed a wheelchair! Well, once he found what he was looking for he'd have a good reason for sitting still while he watched it, providing there was a bench... God, he hoped there was a bench, he was certain he wouldn't be able to get back up off the ground once he sat down on it, and he wasn't too sure he'd be able to stand for very long. The man that had helped him to the clinic, and waited for him, had been Armins' inside man. He was going to get a message out to Casino to come back for them before six. Garrison sure as hell wasn't going to be anywhere around this hospital at six.

Casino came twenty minutes early as instructed and sat cooling his heels while he waited for the great doctor and his assistant to put in an appearance. He was sittin' there ten minutes later when he finally spotted them. Actor striding towards the car like he didn't have a worry in the world, Garrison struggling along behind with the briefcase and doctor's bag, trying to shake off some yahoo in a white coat. Turning the key he fired the engine up and pulled the car along the road so they wouldn't have so far to walk. Actor got in and settled himself in the back, Garrison stepped around the back of the car, leaving his pursuer on the pathway. Picking up his pace he made it into the car and slammed the door shut just as the guy decided to follow him around the car.

"Casino! Get us the hell out of here."

Casino pulled out, leaving the man in the dust. He checked the mirror, he didn't see any guards, the guy didn't look like he had a gun. Narrowing his eyes he looked at the reflection of the two sitting in the back and saw amusement on one face and pure relief on the other. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing! Just shut up and drive."

The Warden was stripped down to his shorts. It had seemed funny the way he'd told the story, but it didn't look like much of a joke when they saw how much inflamed skin was involved. Actor had convinced them at the hospital that he was mean enough to take care of his assistant himself and had brought away enough supplies to do the job. He'd requisitioned some kind of salve that he'd smoothed over the raw patches on Garrison's back and shoulders, and the Lieutenant was carefully rubbing it into all the rest of them down his legs and on his arms. It was supposed to keep the bandages from sticking, they'd had a real problem with that when they were trying to get them all off of him. And it was obvious from the way he was getting more relaxed that it was taking the pain and soreness out. When he finally screwed the lid back down on the jar and leaned back Goniff approached him and held out a glass.

"Looks like you could use a little a this."

Garrison reached out and took it, downing a large swallow he gasped and shoved the glass back into Goniff's hand. "What'n the hell is that!" he managed to choked out.

The little thief smiled. "Nasty n't it? It's some kinda brandy the local blokes make outta apples." He reached down and poured another dose of it in the Wardens' glass. "It's guaranteed to take the pain away."

"Thanks, but I think I'd rather be able to see in the morning." Pulling the blanket Chief tossed him over his legs he turned to the others and motioned them around him, "Come on we might as well get started." He waited until they'd settled down. "OK. There are two emplacements on the hospital grounds. We have to come up with a way to take them out without doing damage to the buildings, without causing any casualties among the patients... at the same time we hit the targets outside the town"

"Jeeze! You'r not askin' for much, are you Lieutenant."

"I think we can do it. It's going to take some pretty close timing, and putting together some special shells to load in those guns." He had their attention now. He set out his idea and they started going over it, searching for flaws and working out all the angles. By midnight they had it. All they needed now were a few more details.

ggg

They were still gathered into a huddle, sharing the brandy Goniff had found. It got better with exposure, but only if it was carefully sipped. Garrison was taking them through it again. Each time a new question was asked it gave them a chance to check the plan from a different angle.

"What'd they have you doin'?" Casino asked the Italian snob. Seemed like he always managed to draw a spot that had him playin' some high ranking officer or important dignitary. Just once he'd like to see the guy decked out as a plumber or somethin'.

"I am to interview the men they send me and identify the malingerers."

"What?" Casino frowned across at him, and then looked at Chief.

Chief looked back at him and shook his head "He's 'spose to rat out the fakers"

"You put it succinctly, Chief, as always."

"Will you guys have enough leeway to watch the grounds?"

"I believe so. I will see some of the men in an examination room next to the office in the morning, but I'll go to the rest of them on their wards in the afternoon. That should give us excellent access to the grounds."

"What about you, Warden? What does the great doctor here need you taggin' along for?"

"The man's Italian Casino, his German isn't good enough for this and Eisler was studying psychology before the war."

Actor filled in, just in case the safe cracker didn't get it. "He is my interpreter." His voice was patronizing, calculated to set the safe cracker off.

"Alright." Garrison put in, cutting Casino off before he could start an argument by coming up with one of his wisecracks. "We'll need to know all the access points to both of those bunkers. The schedule the gun crews are on, where they stockpile the shells, just like we've got on the hillside batteries. I'll take the one up in front of the hospital while you're doing your office hours."

"Wait a minute! If your supposed to be interpreting for Dr Freud here, how'r you gonna be out on the grounds watchin' that gun?"

Actors voice was edged with irritation. "These are psychiatric evaluations Casino. They are conducted sub rosa and each session lasts one hour. That's sacrosanct."

Casino sat for a moment waiting for some sort of explanation he could understand, finally turning on Chief. "Come on Junior, he's got you crawling through that library back at the estate, what'n the hell is he talkin' about now?"

The young man thought for a minute, rubbing his hand along his jaw. "Nobody's gonna walk in on 'em for an hour, and nobody messes around with the rules."

'Jeeze! Actor, why can't you just learn to speak English!?"

Garrison leaned forward, "Excuse me? Could we get back on track here?" he raised his voice, calling out to the three resistance fighters huddled in the corner talking, "Armin, can your man handle the gun over on the east side?" When he got assurance that it could be done he turned and addressed himself to the other three men. "Casino, Chief, I want you to go to the factory. Armin said he'd have the blanks ready. Pick up the shells and get back to the workshop and start getting them ready to load. Take Goniff with you."

Casino snickered, "You sure you want that little menace anywhere around the explosives? The way he's been screwin' up lately?"

Frowning, Garrison saw Goniffs' shoulders sag and he turned on the sarcastic thief. They weren't back to that, were they? "Well, he was the one who remembered to bring that rope down along the river… I think I'll take my chances on him." Garrison was surprised to see Casino had the good graces to look a little embarrassed, "We'll need a truck to deliver our improved armament along with their regular supplies. Armins' group is going to arrange to hijack one of the transports on the road, but the timing's going to be tight on that too. I don't want a report of a missing truck to reach anyone of those gun crews. Once we set this rolling we'll only have about an hour to play with. We've got a couple of days to work all of this out. By the time we go I want it down like clockwork"

ggg

Actor look up from the desk when the door opened. Setting his glasses aside he leaned back in the chair and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Busy morning, doctor?" Garrison asked quietly as he closed the door behind him.

"Yes. So much for the sanctity of the hour long session." Watching the younger man lower himself into the chair in front of the desk, the con man was glad to see he'd regained some of his normal grace and ease of movement. "They've had someone through here every twenty minutes."

Garrison looked up in alarm, "Were you able to pull that off? Anyone question my not being here?"

"No. It was alright." he assured him. "The files were here on the desk when I arrived, the men waited outside. All I had to do was call out the next name. There was one assistant who did asked about you. I told him I sent you over to the clinic and you would be back when they were finished with you. You're right on time."

"So did you find any slackers?" Garrison was sorting through the files that had been stacked on the corner of the desk.

"One"

"Are you going to turn him in?"

"No I will tell them I don't believe he is psychologically suited to return to combat... If he was willing to spend the rest of his life in a place like this he probably isn't."

"What do you think they'll do with him?"

Actor raised his long arms over head and stretched, "They'll probably send him back to the front lines. Did you get the information you wanted?"

"Yeah. It looks like there's only one access. Through a tunnel dug into that rise outside the front entrance to the main building. There's a couple of guards on it, but the ones I watched were pretty lax. It should be the same over on the other gun... We'll find out tonight when we meet with the rest of them." Garrison stood, wincing as the bandage on his left knee caught and pulled at the scrape it covered. He was feeling much better, moving easier. That cream Actor had come up with had really helped but he must have missed a spot. "You ready to go make rounds?"

ggg

They spent the afternoon hours visiting the men on the wards. How anyone could imagine any of these poor souls were capable of fabricating their disability was beyond Actors' ability to comprehend. He was glad it would only take a notation in each chart, and a scribbled initial to make his views known. He was certain if he had to discuss each case with a doubting board of military bureaucrats he would be unable to control his disdain and disgust. Both of them were tired from the long day, and glad of the chance to be outside as they made their way through the grounds back towards the main building where they were to meet Casino.

The attendant stepped away, turned his back and walked away, leaving the young man to sit staring off at the trees at the edge of the hospital complex. At first he was still, but then a seizure seemed to take hold of him. Stiffening frail limbs and arching his back he twisted out of the wheelchair, landing on his face on the gravel path. Actor shouted at the attendant, ordering him back to his duty, but Garrison reached the young man first. He held the boy cradled in his arms as he struggled against the involuntary movement of his own body. When the attendant stepped up and tried to take the youngster he stopped him with a glare that froze the man where he stood. The flailing was easing now, the stiffened limbs relaxing. When the boy went limp in his arms Garrison bent and carefully placed him in the chair. Stepping back he watched as the orderly quickly tied the straps on the vest the young man wore around the back of the wheelchair and turned to push him away, back towards the wards.

Garrison was shaken, his arms held stiffly at his sides, his hands balled into fists. When Actor moved to stand beside him he took a deep breath, willing himself to relax, he straightened his shoulders and turned to continue on the way they'd been going.

He'd resigned himself to his own death. The work they did, the risks they took required that. He'd come to terms with the probability of physical disability, the loss of a limb, blindness, deafness, knowing that somehow he would find a way to live with that and still make his own way. But this loss of self determination was something he had never considered. Not knowing where he was, who he was. Not having control over what happened to him. He didn't think he had the courage to face that. He didn't think he could be locked away in a hospital like this for the rest of his life.

"It would be better to be dead." He was unaware he'd spoken the thought aloud until Actor responded.

"I hardly think your family would agree."

"What family…" He stopped speaking abruptly, taking a deep breath he looked around him. "I don't see any family here, do you?" And lengthening his stride he left the con man behind to wonder at what he'd said.

Casino drove the car through the checkpoint and onto the grounds. The guard didn't even stop to look at his papers this time. Seeing the damaged car and recognizing the driver he'd simply called for the barrier to be raised and waved him through. The safecracker smiled smugly to himself, thinking how easy this job was turning out to be and then caught his breath as fear of all the things that could go wrong raised its image in his mind. Pulling the car to a stop he rolled the window down as he waited and raised his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

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	5. Chapter 5

"Will it work?"

"Oh yeah! It'll work. The stuff we brought's more than enough to do the job." The explosives expert was relaxed, leaning back on his elbow on the table.

"Alright. Will you be able to modify enough of them by tonight?"

"Hey babe, it's already done." Casino shrugged and smiled at him. "Soon as we figured out how to do it we went ahead and loaded them up. The only thing you gotta worry about is, did we over do it."

"Warden," Goniff leaned his chair back on the back legs and looked up at their leader, "you got two shells for each site."

Garrison smiled down on the little man, "Insurance?"

"Never hurts to have a back up" Chief said simply.

"I owe you all a trip to the Doves when we get back"

"You owe us a hell of a lot more than that Lieutenant, and don't think we won't be calling in the markers."

Garrison turned towards their contact "Armin, what about that hijacking?"

They had to gather in close to hear his hoarse whisper, "We have everything worked out. We have watched the trucks come out of the depot on their routine deliveries and know which routes they will take. One truck services all of the guns in the area. They go to the hillsides first."

"Can your man make up the orders for us?" at the mans nod he turned to face the group. "Good! Gentlemen all we need now are a few bombers." Garrison left them and followed Armin down into the cellar that housed their radio.

It took two hours for England to respond and twenty minutes for him to decipher the message. "Alright, there will be a flyover tomorrow night at twenty-two-hundred to draw down their supplies." Garrison watched as Goniff silently calculated the time on his fingers. "When they send out the order for more ordnance we'll intercept it and be there to take over the truck. We load our shells into the racks and deliver them to the sites."

Goniff caught his thumbnail between his teeth "What if they don't need more stuff? What if they don't send out an order?"

"Then we'll send out our own." Garrison tapped the papers he held against his palm. "They made this set up while we were waiting for the reply. They should pass inspection. If they follow their regular pattern the supply truck will roll out at Oh three-thirty. We'll be waiting for it, along with some of Armin's group. It shouldn't take more than ninety minutes to make our deliveries to the hillside batteries. Casino, I want you to work up timed devices to leave in the ammo dumps at both of those sites."

"Sure. No problem."

"We should be rolling onto the hospital grounds around Oh five-thirty. We'll drop Chief and Casino at the east bunker, Goniff and I will go on to the one in front. When you guys finish up meet Actor around the side of the main building. Goniff and I will drive the truck off the grounds and hand it over to Armin, and we'll meet you down the road outside the gate. The guards at that entrance are used to the car and you, Casino. You shouldn't have any trouble just driving Dr. Colianni here, away from the place with Chief in the trunk."

Chief leaned back in his chair, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "We leavin' extra charges in the loads goin' to the hospital Warden?"

Garrison rested his chin on his fist and stared past them thinking. If the explosives Casino had packed in those shells did what they were designed to do the guns would be shredded, the gun crews that serviced them killed. That didn't bother him. They were soldiers, they knew and accepted the risk when they put on the uniform. The ones who would respond to the hillside batteries would also be soldiers. If they were killed when the stockpiles blew up he was just fulfilling his obligation to reduce the number of enemy combatants. But the people who would pour into the bunkers on the hospital grounds would be doctors, nurses, and orderlies. Even though he held the instructions in his hand ordering him to destroy the guns 'at any cost' he knew he wouldn't follow them. "No. I won't put the hospital, or the people in it, in any more danger than we have to."

"Seems like havin' bombs droppin' around them's going to be pretty damn dangerous." Casino observed.

"Armin's people made up radio beacons. We'll be setting those out along the back fence. We've had that arranged all along. At least the pilots will know where the grounds are in relation to that part of town. It's the best we can do for them."

"Who's putting those out, then?" the cockney asked.

"I will." Actor answered quietly, "Along with our orderly friend."

"How'r you gonna square bein' out on the grounds in the middle of the night?" Casino spent a lot of time irritated with the big Italian but it didn't stop him from worrying about him.

"I will be called to one of the men on the ward out at the back of the grounds. It seems he will have an anxiety attack after the planes fly over. It's all arranged."

Goniff smiled and piped up "Neither snow, nor sleet? Eh, Actor?"

"That's mailmen you dummy! Not doctors!"

Laughter helped with the tension and Garrison had come to understand his men enough to know that some of the more outlandish things they said and did were done for just that purpose.

"You sure about those extra explosives, Warden?" Chief asked again.

He nodded his head, "Yeah."

"Sure is one slick way of protectin' a strategic site."

"It can't be helped Chief."

"I know."

"Alright." Garrison stood, tearing the notes he held in his hands into pieces he dropped them in a small tray that sat on the table. Taking a piece of the shredded documents he held it over the top of the lanterns' glass chimney and when it caught he dropped it into the tray and watched the papers burn down to ash. "Casino, Actor, we've got to get back down there."

"It _**would**_ be polite to use the quarters they have so generously provided at least once before we leave." Actor stood, tugging his garments into perfect order.

"Casino, we won't be needing you tomorrow night."

"Blimey Warden! You two ain't stayin' in eatin' hospital food are ya? Even I draw the line at that!"

"No Goniff." the con man informed him, "We must dine with the hospital administrator. He's a pompous ass, but I doubt he partakes of standard hospital fare."

There was a glint in his eye as Chief opened his mouth to speak. Casino caught it and raised his hand to stop him. "I know. I know! The guy's a jerk and he eats the good stuff while everybody else is spoonin' down gruel. I get it! I'm not a dummy ya know, it was just that damn brandy!"

Another round of laughter, Garrison smiled and shook his head. "OK. Unless there's a change of plans I'll meet you guys up here at twenty-four-hundred hours tomorrow." Placing his hand on the cat burglar's shoulder he leaned forward and in a stage whisper explained, "Midnight, Goniff, midnight." Then he turned to the others, "Casino, set up those explosive and then check the route to the next safe house. I don't want to make any wrong turns. Chief, Goniff, you go with Armin's people and get everything ready to take that truck. They'll be monitoring the radio and phones after the flyover. If the order doesn't go out by one a.m. they'll transmit one from here. We can always pass it off as a foul up with the gun crews."

ggg

The following day was almost relaxing. Actor and Garrison talked to the men the hospital staff sent to the office in the morning and then had lunch in the large cafeteria. In the afternoon they went to the patients out on the wards. In the late afternoon they returned to the office so 'Dr. Colianni' could fill out his reports.

"What are you writing down there anyway?" Garrison asked as he watched Actor fill in the forms.

"Just what I observed." The con man didn't look up, he was intent on completing the task.

"But how do you know what to put down there?" Garrison was interested, he'd watched as Actor interviewed and observed the patients and had been impressed with the way he had handled them. There was a little more at work here than just playing a part.

The older man looked up and then leaned back in his chair, "I suppose you could say I have a professional interest in the study of psychology. After all I use it in my own work." He smiled at Garrisons' raised eyebrows. "I have to know what motivates people, and I have some skill at determining what someone is feeling or thinking by observing how they hold themselves and listening to how they speak rather than what they say."

"And what have you learned about our little group?"

"Oh, That Casino is not as hard and unfeeling as he tries to appear. That Chief has found a focus for his loyalty in this group, and that Goniff, of all of us, questions the morality of what he must do to survive this war."

Garrison sat for a moment considering what he'd just heard. The observations were astute, and supported his own opinions. He decided he wouldn't ask Actor what he'd learned about him, he thought the answer might be too uncomfortable.

Chief and Goniff went with Armin's men out along the road that led away from the armory. There was good cover about half a mile from the gates, far enough away that, if they were careful, the hijacking would not be heard. The road turned and there was a steep drop that would require the driver to brake and downshift, bringing the truck nearly to a halt. The truck was never accompanied by a second vehicle, and the underground had never observed more than four men on it. They would bring enough people to handle an extra truck filled with guards and be prepared to fight to take the truck but they hoped that they would be able to merely overcome the driver and force the men off the vehicle and take their places. The modified shells were left undercover near the site they had chosen. If all went well they would be able to overpower and take the transport, load their explosives and be on their way with no more than fifteen minutes delay.

Casino worked on the explosives they would place in the stockpiled ammo by himself. He was glad of the quiet and mentally thanked the Warden for sending Goniff with Chief. He didn't think he would have the patience to answer all of the inquisitive Limey's questions. He knew Goniff talked out his nervousness, but even though he understood, it could still drive him nuts. Armin would be back when he finished his shift at the munitions factory and they would drive to the farmhouse they'd hold up in after the job was over. He was with the Warden, he didn't want to make any wrong turns on their way out of town. He wanted to be out of the area when those bombers came through.

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Actor and Garrison had suffered through dinner with the hospital administrator and were in their quarters when the air raid sirens sounded at ten. They met outside their rooms, Actor shrugging on the white coat he used and Garrison pulling a dark sweater over his head as they were jostled by staff moving through the hallway as they made their way quickly out of the building. Within moments they were standing alone.

"Do we go to the shelters, or will they expect us to help get the patients to safety?" Garrison asked.

"I'll go to the patients on the wards but you won't be expected to help." A spark of amusement lit the con mans eye, "You are still suffering from your injuries, remember?"

Garrison raised an eyebrow "I'd be suffering alright! If I'd continued to go to that damn clinic!" Then he sobered, "Be careful! We'll meet you at the car by six. If something happens get everyone out of here by six, Actor, that'll give you three hours to get out of the area before the bombing runs."

"Are you telling me you would leave by six if we weren't all assembled?"

"Yes!" Garrison knew the con artist was reading him right now, and he knew what his observations were telling him. His mouth quirked up in a quick smile. "I'd leave at six. I'd be back after the bombing, but I'd leave at six."

Garrison made his way carefully up through the town and met the car Armin sent for him. It was after midnight when he walked into the warehouse the group used and was greeted by his men. "Are you guys ready to go?" he asked as he caught the uniform jacket Chief tossed to him.

"Yeah! What took you so long?"

"Well, let's see? I know it had something to do with air raid sirens!" He slipped his arms into the jacket and fastened the buttons up the front. "Has that order come through yet?"

Goniff spoke up from his position at the table. They'd made themselves a meal on bread and cheese that one of Armin's men had provided, and he was seeing to it that there was nothing left to go stale. "Right after the guns stopped and things got quiet."

"Everything set on the road?"

"Everything's perfect on the road." Chief assured him. "You just stand back outta the way and let us work!"

Casino turned and walked back into the building from the doorway. "It'll go just like clockwork, Warden, just like you wanted."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it." Garrison checked his watch. "We've got a couple of hours before we have to leave. You guys better get a little more rest."

"What about you?"

"I got a couple of hours sleep after dinner, before the sirens went off."

Goniff perked up at the mention of dinner. "Hey Warden. How was that dinner? That administrator bloke feed you good?"

"We had Ris de veu sautes."

Sounded French, and fancy. "What's that, then?"

Garrison considered the little man as he remember the mealy texture and gamey taste of the meal he'd choked down. "I don't think you really want to know, Gonifff."

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Actor met them near the back entrance to the hospital. "How did it go?"

"Just like clockwork. We slid our stuff in where it'll be the fourth round to go up." Casino had his back to Actor searching the grounds, waiting to catch sight of the other two. Chief left them to go around the side of the building to check on the car. "I tell ya, this badge thing is great! That Sergeant in there took one look at it and practically carried the damn things in for us."

They turned at Chiefs' quiet approach. "You see 'em yet?"

"Not yet." Actor checked his watch. "They still have some time."

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When they'd taken the first load up the long corridor and into the staging area and he'd seen the gun crew Goniff stopped in his tracks. Some of them were practically children,,, only fourteen or fifteen. A shove from the Warden got him started again. Settling the rack on the ground near the low cement wall that separated the stockpile from the working area around the gun they turned, pulling the dolly behind them as they moved back down the ramp. As soon as they were outside and headed back to the truck he leaned in close and whispered, "What'r they doin' there?! They're just kids!"

"They fill out the gun crews Goniff." Garrison turned his hand up and checked the watch on his wrist. They were running late. It was nearly six. "They should be rotated out and off duty before the fly over. Now come on! We've got to get this one in there and get the hell out of here."

They heard the sirens as they took the last load into the chamber. It was too soon! The plan called for another high fly over to draw flak and blow the guns but that wasn't for another three hours yet, more than enough time for them to finish the job and get out of the area. So much for Reynolds 'precisely coordinated timing on the ground'. He thought they might still get away with it. They weren't part of the gun crew, there'd be no reason they would be required to stay.

Garrison kept them moving steadily towards the staging area for the ordnance. This load had the modified shells that would blow the gun off its mount and shatter the barrel making the rail yards at the other edge of the valley defenseless. They could still set it back in the lines and leave themselves time enough to get away. When the Sergeant spotted them and waved them forward he tried to ignore him, but a sharp blow of the man's hand on his back and the order to move forward into loading position sent his mind racing. This wasn't good, this wasn't good at all!

They had to do as they were ordered, they couldn't afford to draw any attention that would cause doubts about the load they were bringing in. Garrison settled the case on the floor of the bunker, backing the dolly away from it as he watched one man cut the strap that held the stack of shells securely in their racks and another reach out and pull the modified one into his arms and turn towards the gun. He gave the Sergeant a casual salute and turned pulling Goniff around, sending him forward in front of him with a shove. The ominous sound of metal on metal caused his heart to stop

"Move! We've got to get out of here!"

As Goniff turned the side of his foot caught on the edge of a tile and he stumbled, he felt the Wardens' hand grip his shoulder, pulling him upright and shoving him forward. He strained towards the door but he didn't have his balance, and only managed a few steps before momentum carried his body too far away from his feet and he was falling. "Goniff!" He heard Garrison shout at him and then … Light, sound, pressure and heat all struck at once. He couldn't tell one from the other, and then he couldn't tell anything at all.

When the siren sounded the three men standing in the shadows turned as one to search the area between the buildings for any sign of the others. A flash lit the sky out in front of the main building as the ground shook. In the next instant they were running around to the front towards the gun. When they reached the large lawn they stopped and stared. The entrance to the ramp that led into the bunker was obscured by the smoke pouring from it. The sirens were silent. There was no sign of any plane. It had been a false alarm.

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	6. Chapter 6

The blast was still echoing and ringing in Goniff's ears as he struggled to move under a heavy weight that was draped over him, pinning him to the floor. Squirming onto his side he finally managed to grab the frame of the door and pull himself free. Pushing up onto his knees he turned to survey the damage, squinting through the dust and smoke. Turning his back on the room quickly he grabbed the frame and wretched in immediate reaction to the carnage. His mind went blank except for one burning thought; to get away. He struggled to his feet and lunged a few steps down the corridor before a second thought hit him. The Warden! That was the Warden back there! For a split second survival instinct struggled with loyalty, his mind telling him nothing was alive within those walls, his heart insisting he go back anyway. He turned and staggered back to the door, squeezing his eyes shut he sank to his knees on the threshold, leaning and reaching in he grabbed hold of the Wardens' jacket, feeling his fingers curl down through wet, tattered fabric. He could feel the heat of the fire that burned in the room on his face. Clenching his fists into the material he scrabbled backwards on his knees pulling Garrison out of the room and down the corridor, his eyes shuttered against the horror.

They found them at the end of the passageway, just where it turned and led up into the bunker. Goniff with his eyes still screwed shut, still moving backwards along the wall, still dragging the Warden by the back of his jacket.

Actor tried to pull the little man's hands away from Garrison. "Goniff! Goniff, it's all right! Goniff, listen to me, you have to let go so that we can get you out of here."

Casino started pulling and prying at his fingers, trying to break his hold, "Doesn't look like he's hurt. What'n the hell's wrong with him?"

"He's in shock, man. You'r gonna bust his fingers! Just pull his hands up." Using his knife, Chief quickly cut the fabric away from the jacket leaving it for Goniff to clutch in his fists.

"Chief, get him out of here. We'll be right behind you." Actor turned his attention to Garrison, slipping his fingers around the side of his throat to feel for a pulse there.

Casino waited, trying not to think about the blood that soaked the material of the shredded jacket, the back of the mans' head, and the trail of it he saw smeared along the corridor floor.

Glancing up quickly, meeting Casinos' gaze Actor could only verify, "He's alive, that's all we have time for now. Help me get him up."

Between them they pulled Garrison up, and dragging him down through the entrance to the corridor, followed Chief out onto the green. People were already running from the hospital, running to help. Actor knew they'd never get away if they were stopped now. Shouting at the men that reached them he jerked his head over his shoulder and ordered them into the bunker to the casualties within. "Holen Sie jeder heraus hier! Wir stellen eine Behandlungmitte hier auf dem Rasen auf." They moved on as the first group ran past to do as they were ordered. When the next wave approached they were ordered to set up a treatment and triage area outside the entrance in the same officious voice. They continued towards the front of the hospital, stepping aside as more people poured out to go to the aid of the injured. Those that would stop and help were ordered on to the bunker, and as soon as they turned their backs to do as they were commanded Chief led the group around into the dark shadows along the side of the building, back where the car lay hidden.

Chief pulled the door open and hoisted Goniff up into the backseat. Turning he helped Casino hold the Warden while Actor climbed in, and then help lift the unconscious man in to lie face down across their legs, his head resting in Goniff's lap. He was in the front and had the car moving towards the gate a moment later. Seeing the car the guard hesitated a moment. They didn't slow down, they couldn't, not with wounded in the car. Chief added speed and headed right for the barrier. As they approached the guard brought his weapon up and fired on the vehicle. Actor reached out and pushed Goniff down, holding him out of harms way, shielding the Warden with his body as Casino returned fire to cleared their way out. He could feel Goniff start and push up against his hand when the gunfire erupted around them, then bring his hands up to cover his head and curl down in the seat. The car bounced and swerved through the barricade careening to the right it raced away from the compound.

Actor straightened and shifted his position to look back at the road behind them. "There doesn't appear to be anyone following us."

"Yeah! Yet!" Casino grumbled as he reloaded his pistol. "Soon as they find that guy and figure out you two are missing they'll know exactly who their lookin' for." Shooting a worried glance over his shoulder he asked, "How are they?"

With his hands around Garrison's chest to hold him steady as they jolted along the road Actor could feel that the man was breathing. "The Lieutenant is still with us." He stretched out his hand, shaking the pick pocket by the shoulder "Goniff?" The face that turned to him was blank, the blue eyes nearly black with enlarged pupils. The little mans' mouth moved wordlessly, then he turned his gaze and stared back down at the bloodied head cradled in his lap. Actor watched as Goniff pulled in a gasping breath and held it, and felt as the little man started to tremble. Pulling the handkerchief from his pocket he laid it over Garrison's head. Goniff stared a moment longer and then brought shaking bloodstained hands up to carefully hold the cloth in place. "How quickly can we get to the safe house? We will need time to see to both of them."

In less than thirty minutes they were pulling off the road onto a rough farm track. Ten minutes later the car lurched to a stop in the trees behind the old farmhouse where they were to meet their contact. Chief and Casino moved quietly away from the car to make sure it was safe to approach and use the building.

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Casino steered Goniff into the kitchen with an arm thrown around his shoulders, settling him at the table before turning back to help Actor and Chief carry Garrison from the car into the small bedroom that lay on the north side of the room. Carefully they lay him face down on the narrow bed, Actor folding a blanket under his left shoulder and chest, turning his head to the side so he could breathe.

"Casino, we have to risk a fire. They both need to be kept warm. And I'll need water." Calling after the safecracker, "Try to get something into Goniff. Try and get him talking." He turned to the young man standing next to the bed, "I want to cut the jacket away. I don't want to move him anymore than we have to now," and watched as Chief knelt down and set to the task with delicate determination.

Chief ran the razor sharp blade up the center of the back of the jacket and shirt and folded the fabric back, pulling it away from the Lieutenant's shoulders. Rocking back on his heels the young man looked up at Actor, puzzled, "I don't get it. Where'd all the blood come from?"

Actor wiped his hands clean and traced his fingers over Garrison's back. Except for the deep scratches across his shoulders, the skin was intact. Shaking his head Actor motioned for Chief to continue and when the fabric of the sleeves had been split he raised the inert form as the ruined tunic was removed. "I don't understand" searching, he still only found the mottled bruises and abrasions the river had left on him. The memory of blood smeared on the floor, the stain that soaked Goniff's trouser leg and reddened the hair on the back of the Lieutenant's head raised a horrible possibility in his mind. He glanced at the discoloration that was slowly spreading on the cloth he'd placed under Garrison face.

At a quiet tap on the door he turned and accepted the basin and towels Casino held in his hands. "You two will need to take care of Goniff and watch for our contact. I can manage this alone." Pulling a stool to the head of the bed he started to carefully prise the cloth away from the blood that was clotting into the Wardens' hair as the other men quietly left the room, closing the door behind them. He listened as the outer door closed, knowing Chief had moved outside to keep watch, then heard the low murmur of Casinos' voice as he tried to comfort and provoke Goniff into speaking. He heard the crackle of paper and the dull thump of wood as the firebox in the kitchens' old stove was loaded. Actor managed to pull the cloth free of the drying blood covering the back of the Warden's neck and head and sat for a moment, gathering his courage to investigate the injury further.

He knew they could get Garrison back, they'd proved their resourcefulness in transporting and caring for their wounded before, and there was no question they would find a way this time if they had to. The question in his mind was what life would be like for the young officer if he survived what might prove to be a serious head injury. Actor had spent the last few days surrounded by the aftermath of that type of injury. He'd heard the eerie wails and groans from the locked wards where the severely damaged were kept. He had watched a young man who spent his days rocking in a corner, rhythmically hitting his head against the wall and seen the ones who repeated the same word, the same gesture over and over again without knowing. He'd tried to help control the sudden out bursts of violence and frustration as damaged brains and minds faced their new limitations. Actor had worked with men who would always know darkness, silence, who would never move of their own will, and those who would never be able to control seizures or the spasmodic flailing of their limbs without physical restraints. Sad hollow eyes that would never know joy again haunted him, balanced by the rare few who would laugh, with childlike delight when they managed after months of practice, a ham fisted scrawl that represented their own name. Lifting the towel from the basin of water, he twisted it in his hands, letting the water run back into the container, he took a breath and lay the wet cloth across blond hair stained red.

The first touch of the icy water brought a gasp from Garrison and he frowned and clenched his fist in unconscious protest. No new flow of blood resulted from his effort as he worked, though the stain on the coverlet grew sluggishly. Actor caught the fleeting hope and held tight to it as he continued. He carefully washed and rinsed and wiped, running his fingers over the skull, through the hair, searching for a breach in the bone, a depression or laceration , anything to explain the blood, frowning in confusion as he found nothing. He turned and rinsed the cloth in the basin, puzzling at the slight grating noise he leaned forward and gazed at the water. The bottom of the container appeared to have a layer of irregularly shape sand or gravel,,, Sitting back suddenly he knew what must have happened. Bile rose in his throat and Actor closed his eyes and took a deep breath letting it out slowly through pursed lips. "Lieutenant?" He said softly, "Warden, can you hear me?" When Garrisons' frown deepened and he shifted his head towards him slightly Actor rose and crossed the room to the door

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Casino took his jacket off and settled it around Goniff's shoulders, he'd been trying to get the little guy to say something and was having no luck. All the crazy little Limey'd do was stare down at his hands. He finally figured if that's what the guy was gonna look at, it'd probably be better if they weren't covered in blood so he'd found another basin and some more towels and carefully washed them clean. Then he'd rummaged around the kitchen until he'd found a tin of beans and opened them up to offer him. There were two times when you knew Goniff was in serious trouble; when he wouldn't eat, and when he wasn't talkin'. He was silent now and the food sat, untouched on the table next to him. Casino was worried.

He needed to get Actor back out here to check on him and had just started to go after him when the door off the kitchen opened and the Italian spoke quietly from the threshold.

"Casino, I need some help."

He cast a glance at Goniff who still sat unmoving at the table and then moved across the room to join Actor. Together they carefully turned Garrison on his back and Actor set to work cleaning the blood from his forehead and face while Casino held the mans' hands down as he tried to fend off the care he was receiving.

"How is Goniff?" Actor saw the concern on Casinos' face when he looked up, shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know, man, he's just sittin' there. His hands and knees were all scraped up. I got him cleaned up but…." he shook his head again, "I don't know."

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Several minutes later Garrison's eyes flickered open and he found himself staring up into Casino's smiling face "You are one lucky son of a bitch!"

He didn't' feel lucky, the ache in his head pulsed against the pressure of the safecrackers' hand with every word, and he tried to turn his head to get away from it. Groaning he managed to ask "What happened?" but couldn't stay awake to hear the answer.

Casino frowned and carefully lifted the cloth he'd been pressing down over the Warden's forehead and cheek. "That didn't last long." Checking the dressing he shot a look at Actor. "The bleeding's stopped but he's startin' to sweat."

"See if you can find any more blankets." Actor finished bandaging Garrison's hand and moved up to the head of the bed as Casino left the room. He watched as Garrison's eyes fluttered open again and he shifted his head to look around him. "Warden?" he waited for the eyes to focus on him. "Do you remember what happened?"

Garrison closed his eyes a moment, took a deep breath and nodded. "Some idiot loaded the wrong shell." He squinted up at Actor. "Where's Goniff, is he alright? Where are we?" He tried to push up off the bed but was easily checked by the pressure of the elegant hand on his shoulder.

"Just stay still a while longer. We are at the safe house, Chief is watching for Armin and Goniff is in the other room." When he felt the man relax and settle back onto the bed he took his hand away and stood, crossing to the door to take the quilt that Casino had found in one of the other rooms. Actor shot a quick look through the door at Goniff and then raised a questioning eyebrow at their cracksman. Casino tilted his head slightly and shook it, turning, he closed the door behind him and they could hear the murmur of his voice as he addressed the Englishman.

Garrison had been watching from the bed, and read the concern in their silent exchange. When Actor returned and draped the quilt over him he caught his wrist, "What's wrong with Goniff?"

The smile the con man turned on their commander was smooth and the voice reassuring. "He appears to be uninjured."

Nice try, he thought. Penetrating the façade with an intense gaze Garrison spoke quietly, "And that's not an answer to my question."

Actor stood looking at him a moment before sighing and sitting back down on the stool. "I don't know. I think it's only shock, but he's not coming out of it."

Garrison raised his bandaged hand and ran the fingers along the laceration over his eyebrow, over the swollen eye and down across the abrasions that covered his right cheek and jaw. "Actor, how did you get us out of there?"

"We didn't. We found you in the corridor. Goniff had pulled you out, almost onto the green."

"God! He turned back into that…" Garrison lay silent for a moment staring off into the darkness and his hand dropped back onto the quilt. With a shudder he turned back, "You'd better bring him in here where he can be quiet for a while." Closing his eyes he continued, "Casino picking at him isn't going to help."

Actor stood undecided, watching as sleep overtook the injured man again. Maybe giving Goniff something to do was the answer, maybe it would bring him out of himself. He moved through the door and back out into the kitchen crossing to stand next to the little pick pocket, "Goniff" he called to him and when he got no response he knelt down and peered into his face. "Goniff! Goniff, I need you to stay with the Warden." He felt a flicker of hope when the blue eyes shifted up to gaze at him. "I need you to watch the Warden Goniff, I've got to get some rest." He stood, reaching down and grasping the mans' arm he pulled him up and guided him, unresisting, to the stool at the side of Garrison's bed. Pushing him down he left him sitting there and moved back out of the room, standing at the door to watch for a moment before closing it softly and returning to the kitchen. Crossing to the stove he held his hands out to the fire and shared a long concerned look with Casino.

Goniff sat for a long time just staring at the wall in front of him, he didn't see it, couldn't see anything but smoke and dust and bodies thrown into twisted piles. He closed is eyes and covered them with his hands. Instead of blackness all he saw was red, deep dark red staining the floor and the walls, the back of the Wardens' jacket, red soaking into the cloth that covered his head, blood red staining the pants he was wearing. He screwed his eyes shut and willed the sight away, willed it back into the place in his head where nightmares came from. He moved his hands apart letting them rest like blinders at either side of his face and he looked down on the pants he wore. The stain was there. It hadn't been a dream.

Gradually the pounding of his own pulse in his ears faded and other sounds began to penetrate his thoughts. Wind rattling the leaves and twigs scratching against the window of the quiet room he sat in, birds singing from the branches of a tree that creaked over head, the murmur of voices on the other side of the closed door, squeaking from the stove as it opened, and the solid thump of a log being settled onto the fire before the door was closed with a groan and a metallic clatter, the steady breathing of someone who lay on the bed next to his stool. Raising his face he let his fingers trail down over his cheekbones and down onto his lips and as he chewed his finger ends he shot a furtive glance towards the body on the bed. After a moment he let his hands drop into his lap and sat watching the regular rise and fall of the bandaged hand that lay curled on the quilt that covered Wardens' belly.

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"Goniff?"

The little man jerked awake and instinctively pulled away from the unexpected touch on his shoulder. He didn't know for a moment where he was. He didn't remember falling asleep. Then the sound and the sight and the oily feel of it on his skin came roaring back to him. He lurched to his feet and turned, searching for the door.

"You OK?"

Goniff stood for a moment, his back to the Warden. He studied the sliver of light the crack in the door threw on the floor of the room. Taking a deep breath he turned and sat down on the stool. Leaning forward he rested his elbows on his knees and clasp his hands together, staring at the knuckles as they turned white with the force of his grip.

"Are you alright?"

The creaking of the bed finally pulled his gaze up away from his hands. He looked into the worried face of his commander. Garrison had levered himself up on an elbow and was watching him.

"I'm OK. I'm,,, uh, I,,, " He closed his eyes and saw it all again and his words came in a rush, "I thought you were dead. I thought you were dead, like everything else back there." He brought is hands to his face and scrubbed hard, trying to rub the vision out of his eyes.

Garrison reached out and caught at his arm, "I know."

"You don't know! You can't know. You didn't see it!" Goniff jerked away, refusing to be consoled.

Garrison dropped his hand and leaned back against the wall. He stayed there, quiet, unmoving, until the other man finally looked at him, then he started to speak, quietly. "You know I had a command in North Africa before being assigned to you guys." He didn't wait for a response. "We were involved in pretty heavy fighting over there. One push was especially bad. We were ordered to hold our position and we'd been pounded by heavy artillery fire all night. There was a direct hit where some of my men were dug in... I'd set seven of my guys in that hole... When we got back in there, there were only four bodies. I knew those guys Goniff and I couldn't identify any one of them from what was left." He looked away, "I know."

"The rest of them, did they get away?"

Garrison shook his head slowly, remembering the shreds of cloth, the bits of bone and the blood, "They just weren't there anymore."

Goniff closed his eyes and the sight came back again. "I never wanted to see anything like that. I'm a,,, I ain't brave like the rest of you guys. I thought I'd heave my guts up when I saw that." he added in disgust.

Goniff's voice held a bleakness and self doubt that Garrison had never heard before, he frowned and watched him. "That doesn't have anything to do with your courage. You came back for me, didn't you? Actor said you pulled me out of there."

But he hadn't listened, he was still looking back, still feeling the shock and fear and panic that consumed him after the explosion. "Casino's right. I'm a jinx," he breathed. "I almost got you killed!"

Garrison shifted on the bed, his breath catching as the muscles over his bruised ribs cramped in protest. "Are you kidding? If you hadn't fallen and tripped me up I would have been right in the path of that blast. Even if I'd just been bending over to pick you up I'd have caught it. I heard the stuff hitting the walls around us before I rammed my head into the concrete. I could feel it pulling at the back of my jacket. If you hadn't fallen we'd both have been torn to shreds in that doorway." He met the little mans' disbelieving stare with a weary smile. "From now on I'm going to bless every klutzy move you make." He continued, "Goniff, brave isn't doing something that doesn't scare you. Brave is looking at something that scares you to death and finding a way to do it anyway. Courage is setting aside your instinct to run and turning around," he looked into the doubting eyes, "after heaving your guts up and pulling somebody out of danger. If we were a regular military unit what you did back there would earn you a medal. Don't you ever question your own bravery, I never have!" Garrison watched for a moment as the words sank in, took root and Goniff straightened on the stool and squared his shoulders a bit.

But then he shook his head. Goniff turned to face him, his eyes swam with tears. "But some of 'em were just kids. Just little kids, Warden. We killed 'em."

"We didn't do that Goniff, Germany did!" How was he going to make him understand? "There aren't any children over the age of twelve left in Germany. Some of those 'kids' have been training to do that job since they were eight. Those 'kids' swear every day to lay down their life for Hitler and the Fatherland. They put them in to run the guns, they use them as saboteurs, snipers. Damn it, Goniff! They let them strap explosives to their backs and send them in to blow Allied troops to Hell precisely because they won't expect it, because they are 'just little kids'!"

"How can you say,,, how d'you know that?"

"Because I was almost part of it. Hitler's Youth!" Garrison said in disgust, "There isn't any 'youth' left. Only babies, old people and fanatics. That's what we killed, Goniff. Fanatics That's what we're fighting. And, God help them, that's what Germany is going to be dealing with after the war."

Goniff leaned forward and rested his face in his hands. He remembered growing up, playing with his cousins and his mates along the river down at the old docks, searching for treasure, old bits of ancient pots or glass, shells, things that his Mum always made such a fuss over. Even when he set out to go to school, and then on to work running messages along the street, he'd still had himself a bit of fun. He was just fourteen then. How could a whole country full of kids miss out on that. How could a country sacrifice its kids? For what? He couldn't understand it. He was too tired to understand it. Goniff didn't know if he even wanted to try.

They both looked up as the door opened and Casino looked in to check on them. Garrison motioned towards the other room with his hand, "You'd better go get some rest. Think you can do that now?"

Goniff nodded his head and stood, "Thanks," he opened his mouth as if to say more, but closed it again. Standing there he looked down at the floor between his feet and then glanced up, the smile that crossed his face was quick. "Thanks." he said simply and turned and walked to the door. Casino threw an arm around his neck and led him across the kitchen to a cot he'd pulled out of the other room and set up where the warmth of the stove would reach it.

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Actor stepped through the door and closed it behind him. He moved across the small room to stand next to the bed. "How do you feel?" The con man waited for the Warden's characteristic reply of 'Fine' and was startled into sitting by what he heard.

"Lousy. I feel a little like I've been hit in the head by a plane, thrown down some stairs, and attacked by a giant stone pot." Heaving a sigh he shifted his position, frowning "And I feel a lot like I've been drowned in a river, run down by a car and nearly blown to pieces. I'm beat." He sank back against the wall. "What I'd really like right now is just to go back home and crawl into my own bed."

Actor shook his head and smiled.

"You don't believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you. You certainly have grounds. I just never expected to hear you admit it."

He slumped further down against the wall. "You just caught me in a weak moment." Garrison swallowed hard, pressing his lips in a grim line he closed his eyes. "Don't get used to it."

Actor watched as the color drained from his face and perspiration started to bead across his forehead and upper lip. Eyeing him he stood, picking up the basin of bloody water that still rested by the bed. Stepping to the door he opened it. "Casino," he said quietly as he handed the container through the door. "Empty that and give it back to me, will you." He just managed to step back to the bedside and slide the basin into position in time.

Garrison laid back against the wall, "God, I hate to throw up."

"It could be worse."

He rolled towards the edge of the bed over the basin as another wave of nausea hit him. When it was over he accepted the offered support and stretched out on his back, closing his eyes under the cool damp dark of the cloth Actor laid over his face. "Yeah? How?"

"It could have been later. You could have had time for a large breakfast." The deep voice held a mixture of sympathy, concern and amusement.

Garrison groaned and tried to ignore the metallic taste in his mouth and the cramps that were starting in his middle. He was going to loose this battle, he knew it, but he wasn't giving in without a fight. He focused on his breathing, pulling air slowly in through his open mouth and slowly letting it out against pursued lips. Just when he thought he'd mastered himself Casino stepped through the door, breaking his concentration.

"Uuuups!" He shot a quick look at Actor for reassurance before turning a broad grin back at the Warden. "Ya know I understand that goes along with smackin' your head on things."

Christ! It felt like his head was going to come off. "Thanks Casino, I'll try and remember that." Garrison accepted the damp cloth Actor offered, but waved away the cup filled with water. "Any sign of Armin?"

"Nothin' yet. Chief just checked in, he's back outside watchin' for him."

"We need to get out of here." Garrison started to roll forward and push himself up to sit on the edge of the bed, but another wave of nausea threatened and he leaned back against the wall, waiting for it to pass.

An almost imperceptible drone of engines intruded, working its way into their consciousness. All of them turned towards the sound, holding their breath without realizing it. The deep retort of the guns could be heard echoing across the valley as the sound of the planes grew louder and louder. They waited, the rhythm of the heavy guns tearing at them as they continued to send their deadly loads of shrapnel into the air. The planes came on, and one by one the guns fell silent.

Garrison closed his eyes, "It worked. It looks like it worked."

The reverberation grew, sound filling the air around them, shimmering across the top of the water that stood in the cup next to the bed. Casino stepped to the window, pulling the curtain back he stared up for a long moment. "Man! There must be a hundred of 'em."

The rumble dropped deep in timbre as the formation moved overhead and continued on towards their target. Lighter, higher pitched voices of fighters could be heard along with the frenzied staccato outburst of their guns as they harried the bombers. Then an answering low stutter as the group defended itself and finally a high whining cry as the payloads were released.

The ground shook as the first wave of bombs found their mark.

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	7. Chapter 7

The bombardment continued through the gray dawn of early morning as wave after wave of planes rolled through. The plan had been to pulverize the area and they were doing a good job of it. There would be no reason to replace those guns, there'd be nothing left for them to protect. Goniff slept through it. Garrison heard it in his dreams, the pounding roar of it turning to boiling rapids that swirled in his mind, crashing over a dizzying waterfall, erupting as thunder before dying away and leaving him in silence that was broken by the careful opening of a door.

He raised his head and squinted towards the sound, wincing as the light clawed at his headache. Laying back he brought his left arm up across his face and gingerly laid it over his eyes, blocking the afternoon sun.

"How are you feeling?" Actor noted the high color and the glitter of his eye when he cracked it open and looked up at him.

"I'm fine."

"Are we back to that again?"

"Told you it wouldn't last."

"I realize you may feel you have an image to maintain, but obviously you are in some distress. It would be best if you would be honest with me. We may need to change our plans to accommodate you."

"Alright. My head feels like it's going to explode and my neck and back are killing me. The nausea's better though"

Actor had managed to lay his fingers on his forehead before the Warden brushed his hand away. "Your fever is getting worse. I don't think this is from the concussion. It's lasting too long."

Garrison took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, the nausea was better but not gone. "What's causing it then?"

"I don't know. We'd best take another look at you. I may have missed something." Turning the quilt back he watched as the hair stood on end on Garrison's arms and the slight tremor of a chill shook him. The fever was indeed on its way up. He lifted the loose dressing away from the laceration on the Wardens' forehead and carefully checked the deeply abraded skin of the side of his face and the back of his hand. The injuries appeared angry, but not infected, it must be something else. There were new bruises spotted across his chest and abdomen where he'd fallen but nothing seemed severe and gentle probing caused only the mild discomfort Actor expected. Some of the old scrapes had cracked and wept but they seemed to be drying now. He sat back and thought for a moment. "Is there anything,,, are you in any pain anywhere else?"

"Feels like I might have cracked a rib. It kind of throbs under my arm." Garrison pushed himself up, swung his feet to the floor and sat leaning back against the wall. "Just find me something for the headache and the damn nausea. I can handle the rest. We don't have any more time! We've got to get out of here. If we miss the pick up it may be another forty-eight hours before they can come for us again." They'd delayed their departure, he and Goniff had been in no shape to travel, and when the Armin had finally arrived with the truck he'd convinced them they would be at greater risk on the road than staying where they were. The Germans were everywhere, he told them, moving emergency equipment, men, shifting wounded and supplies. They'd listened to him. They'd waited. But now they to had to go.

The extra time of rest should have brought Garrison through this, Actor thought. A few hours of nausea and a slight fever was to be expected. They were nearly twelve hours past the injury now and instead of improving the Warden was getting worse. Another two days here might be disastrous. Garrison was right, they had to get out of here. They had to get back where he could get adequate medical care. He'd been through the house. They'd already exhausted the meager supplies that he had found.

Garrison sat propped against the wall rubbing at the back of his neck, "Did our contact…. Did Armin go over the next stage with you?"

"Yes," his voice was level, but Casino was leaning in the door way and the look he shot him telegraphed his concern. "When he brought the vehicle up and found out you had been injured he went over everything with us again."

The Lieutenant closed his eyes for a moment as if gathering his strength. "Good. Which way? Show me the route you worked out."

With a look and subtle shake of his head Actor silenced Casino. The safecracker knew as well as he did that Garrison had been the one to work out their escape plan with the underground leader, mapping out the route, even suggesting the use of the ambulance that now sat waiting for them hidden in the trees closer to the road. Slipping the map out of his jacket pocket he laid it open on the cot beside Garrison and traced his finger along the route. "We are to travel along this road until it ends, and then there is a dirt road that leads off to the right. When we reach the end of that track we will meet with our next contact."

"Garrison nodded and shoved the map aside. "Alright, let's go." He allowed Actor to help him stand but waved further support from the tall con man away as they made their way down the path towards the road. When they reached the ambulance he sat quietly while his hands and face were bandaged, then rolled onto the stretcher and watched as the finishing touches were applied to Goniff's dressings.

They had the papers Armin had provided. Actor was already dressed for the part of attending physician and they were to pose as victims of the bombing, burn patients being transported to another hospital further west. That had been Garrison's idea as well, but Actor doubted he had himself in mind as one of the patients when he came up with the plan two days ago.

Casino put the truck in gear and pulled onto the road. Actor was in the seat to his right, their papers and documents ready in case they were stopped. Chief was in the back, a tabard bearing the red cross thrown over his uniform marking him as a medic. Goniff lay on one of the stretchers ready to writhe and moan in pain if a check point guard felt the need to take a look in the back of the ambulance. Garrison had fallen asleep as soon as the vehicle started to move.

ggg

"Warden? Warden, come on, man, we're here." Chief shook Garrison by the shoulder and sat back and watched as he opened his eyes and looked around him. "Actor says it's another mile to where we meet up with the contact."

Garrison shoved himself up and sat on the side of the stretcher. "Where are we?"

Chief frowned at him, he didn't look good, and he'd felt the heat of his fever through the bandages Actor had wrapped him in last night. "End of the road, man. We gotta walk from here. You gonna make it?"

Taking a deep breath Garrison nodded, "Yeah. I'll make it." The doors of the ambulance were open and he could see the others waiting. Resting his hand on the young mans' shoulder he stood up and followed him to the door, accepting his steadying hand as he stepped down onto the ground. Casino was taking the bandage off Goniff's face and Garrison wondered if they'd gone through any check points on their way here. He didn't remember stopping, he didn't really remember getting in the ambulance. "Actor?" He found he had trouble focusing on the man when he came up beside him. "How far do we have to go?"

"The contact did not want to meet close to the roads. We have about a mile to go before we reach him."

"Alright." Garrison held his hands out towards Casino who still held the scissors in his hands. "Get these damn things off me so I can move and let's get out of here. Chief, check up ahead, make sure it's safe. And Actor, you'd better get anything we can use off that thing before we leave it." But there was nothing, the vehicle was empty.

Casino relaxed a little as he cut away the gauze that covered the Warden's hands and arms. The guy looked like shit but at least he was makin' some sense now. When he had the last of the dressing pulled away he gathered the stuff up and set it in the back of the ambulance, returning to hand Garrison the shirt Armin had left for him in the truck. He turned and climbed in behind the wheel, he was going to take the vehicle back up the road about mile and let it roll off into a ravine they'd past and then make his way back through the trees to the trail the others would be on.

It had taken them almost thirty minutes to travel the mile in to the meeting with their contact. The man had been nervously awaiting their arrival and was hurriedly explaining the next phase of the escape. He was telling him something. Garrison was watching his mouth move, and he was hearing the sounds he made, but he couldn't make any sense out of them... It was something about the route they had to take… It was no good, he couldn't get it. "Actor. Take over. I'm not thinking straight any more."

He was used to assuming control of the group when there was a problem, when Garrison was injured or missing. The sophisticated con artist had fallen naturally into the roll of second in command nearly from the beginning when he'd formulated a plan that got the Warden back when he'd been picked up in Norway. With his personal knowledge of the countries they moved in and his language skills he had the best chance of leading them if the Lieutenant was disabled, but he'd never been instructed to do so by the man himself. Actor moved to stand next to the Warden, facing the man Armin had sent them to meet.

"Find out what he wants. I can't figure out what he's trying to tell me." Garrison turned his back on the two as the man repeated himself to Actor in an urgent whisper, and walked over to the log Goniff was sitting on. Lowering himself carefully down onto the ground he leaned back, shifting his weight onto his left shoulder.

"You don't look so good Warden, you OK?" the cockney thief asked.

Garrison shook his head, "Huh, uh." then looked at the pick pocket. "You?"

Goniff looked down at his battered hands and felt his knee throbbing where the skin had been torn back from it. It was swollen and it hurt to walk on it now, even with Casino's help. The side of his face was discolored by bruises, the eye blackened and swollen shut from being dashed against the stones when the gun exploded, but he still managed a smile and quipped, " Right as rain, mate, compared to you. Uh, sorry about that." The little man indicated the Wardens' cheek with a lift of his chin. "I guess I rubbed that off when I drug you down that ramp."

Garrison smiled back at him, put his hand up and touched the scab that covered most of the side of his face. "This? This is nothing, compared to what could have happened." and then turned his attention to Actor who had just squatted down in front of them. He tried to concentrate on what he was saying.

"He says we can use the river,,,"

"No!" Garrison looked up and found that he was only half kidding. "I'm not getting in another damn raft."

Actor laughed, "Not that, we will use this trail along the river to get down to the shoreline. A boat will meet us there when the tide comes in. It's all arranged."

"How far? "

"About six miles."

Garrison tilted his head in the direction of the contact, "Is he coming with us?"

"No. But he's come up along the trail and he has not seen any patrol activity. He says there's a town about three miles from here that we must be careful of."

The hair stood up on the back of Garrison's neck. He couldn't tell if it was some kind of warning about possibly being sent into a trap or the fever. "Do you trust him?"

"Yes, I think we must."

"Alright, then," His head was pounding and his joints protested his every move. The light hurt his eyes and the sounds reached him in muffled waves. Garrison couldn't decide if he was hot or cold, he seemed to be both at the same time. All he wanted was a chance to lay down and go to sleep. He looked down the path. Six miles, it seemed like an awful long way. "Let's go."

ggg

"I can't make it any further." His legs felt like they were made of lead. They were half carrying him now and he knew he was slowing them down. "You have to go..."

Casino cut him off, watching as Actor and Chief helped the Warden stretch out on the ground again to rest. "Nobody gets left behind, remember Lieutenant?"

He had to make them listen, "…don't understand. They won't…" He was so tired, and it was too hard to push the air out to make the sounds. "Someone… get there… tell them to wait,,, to try again." The pain in his head was too intense, he wasn't certain he was even forming the words.

"Chief,,," before he could continue the young man was standing directly in front of him, frowning his refusal.

"No way, man! I'm not leavin' you guys."

Actor continued firmly "You have to, you can get there and back the fastest."

"But that'll leave you without any protection. You'r practically carryin' the Warden now, and Goniff can't manage on his own. Who's gonna watch you'r back?"

"Come on kid, you know you gotta do this. We'll take it real slow and careful and follow along behind." Casino assured the younger man.

"Yeah, I just need a little rest and I can handle me self.,, And you'll be back before we have a chance ta' miss ya." Goniff added.

He knew they were right, Actor could see it in the change in his face and the way his body tensed. "We'll rest here for a little while and give the Lieutenant a chance to regain some of his strength and then follow you. But if someone does not make that rendezvous they won't return for us for another two days... Chief, the Warden doesn't have that kind of time."

Chief looked around at the group, then took a deep breath and nodded. Turning he started away down the trail at a lope, an easy measured stride that ate up the ground. The others watched him go. He ran like that on the estate, the only one that could keep up with him was the Warden. He'd make it,,, unless it was a trap.

"How long d'you figure?"

Actor checked his watch. "He'll have to wait for them… Three hours. With the run back, I don't see how it can be any less than three hours." They watched as Garrison folded his arms across his chest and curled in on himself, shaking as another chill took him. "Then another twelve hours while we wait for the next tide."

ggg

By the time they reached the shack Garrisons' fever was out of control. He was delirious and fighting them. Actor put him to rest on a cot in the corner. He twisted and turned, mumbling in his delirium finally rolling onto his feet away from Chief's restraining hand. "Aufenthalt weg! Lassen Sie mich allein" he backed against the wall glaring around him. fixing a glassy stare on Chief who was moving towards him to help. "Nein! Ich totete Sie!"

"Chief!" Actor said quietly, the tone of his voice caused the young man to stop in his tracks and turn to look at him. "Don't go any closer." He moved slowly forward, drawing Garrison's attention. "Sie sind fein. Sie sind jetzi sicher. Sie taten ihn nicht. Er starb einen alten Mann, in seinem Bett." His soothing voice brought him within an arms reach and when he nodded Chief took a hesitant step forward.

Garrison shifted his gaze between the two, a look of alarm growing on his face. "Nein, weg gehen sie sind tot!"

But Actor's voice continued, quietly, calmly and he reached his hand out towards him, "Es ist gut. Es ist jetzi sicher. Es ist gut." The moment he laid his hand on his shoulder the Warden pitched forward into their waiting arms. Together they lifted him back onto the cot.

Chief shot a worried look at Actor, "What in the hell was all that?"

"He was hallucinating. I think he was seeing his grandfather alive again." Actor was already working the buttons down the front of the old shirt Armin had left in the ambulance for them to use.

Chief frowned, he'd a killed that bastard himself if he could, but he was glad the Warden had gotten it wrong. Actor had told them what he'd seen carved on the stone. "What 'r we gonna do with him?"

"We have to get his fever down. And we must try and find out what's causing this."

Chief found a dented metal pitcher in the corner of the shack and went down to the beach to get water, Casino headed out to keep watch and Actor and Goniff stayed inside worrying over Garrison. He tried to twist away from them as Actor checked his injuries again, looking for the source of the fever. As they rolled him onto his hip his right arm slipped forward, on his side, high up under his arm there was an angry red welt, crusted over with blood. The skin was tight, shining with the infection that lay just beneath the surface and red tendrils reached out, snaking onto his chest and back towards his spine.

Actor caught his breath and frowned, he hadn't seen this small wound. It would have been nothing to care for at first, but now… He reached out and carefully laid his fingers over it, gently pressing down. Garrison drew in a sharp breath and tried to pull away. The con man let his hand follow, staying over the injury. "There's something there. Possibly a piece of shrapnel from the gun exploding."

When Chief returned they stripped the Wardens' shirt from him, using it to sponge the cold water over his face, chest and arms. It seemed to calm him down, allowing him some rest, but if they stopped the fever started to rise again, and the delirium returned. Actor considered their options. It would be several hours yet before the boat returned for them. He'd thought it a blessing when they had been able to send word ahead, gaining the extra time to reach this place. Now time was a curse, it was their enemy. They couldn't wait any longer. Whatever was in that wound had to come out.

They didn't have anything to work with. Nothing but water to clean the wound. Nothing but the fire from their lighters to sterilize Chief's knife, and nothing to treat the wound after he finished. The ambulance they'd traveled in had been stolen from a repair yard and had been stripped of its supplies and equipment. The bandages they had used were provided as props by the underground, disguises to help them get away. Actor made his preparations.

"All right, try and hold him still." They had turned him onto his side, stretching him out as Casino held his legs and Chief leaned onto his arms to keep him from moving. Garrison had grown quiet, retreating from the threat of them pinning him down, his fevered mind unable to believe their murmured reassurances. Goniff sat by with water and the last of bandages from the truck and the strips they folded out of fabric they'd torn from their shirts. Actor felt the lump that lay under the skin again and fixed its position in his mind. He brought the blade over the wound and paused, closing his eyes. The others watched him.

"Can you do it?" Casino asked quietly.

He nodded his head took a deep breath and made a quick downward stroke with the knife and felt the blade grate against something solid. The Warden arched and cried out under their hands and then lay still. Goniff pressed a folded cloth over the gash and waited. Actor took a moment then glanced at Goniff and nodded. When the cloth was removed he laid the blade in the wound he'd just made, pulling it back, opening it with the fingers of his other hand as Goniff poured water over them. The blade dropped along something. He turned the knife, working the tip of it under the object, raising it up into his waiting fingers.

"What _**is**_ that?"

Actor wiped it with an edge of cloth and held it up to the light and studied it for a moment, frowning. It wasn't what he'd expected. "It appears to be a shard of bone."

Chief took in a sharp breath and paled.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothin'" it took him several seconds to look up and meet their eyes. "Just some old legends," the others continued to stare at him, waiting for him to continue. "The old people tell stories." He tipped his head towards the object in Actor's hand. "That's what witches do. They blow the bone into you,,, makes you sick."

"You don't believe in that, do you? In witches?" Actor wasn't sure what the young man believed, he'd never spoken of that part of his past before, only telling them the barest details of his life. He didn't know what he put his faith in, but it was obvious the sight had shaken him.

They weren't lookin' at him like he was crazy. They were lookin' at him like they were worried too. Garrison shifted and groaned as Actor and Goniff used their hands to press down around the incision, helping it drain. Chief looked down at the Warden and tried to hold him still so Actor could get a bandage over the wound, "Kinda hard not to sometimes, stuff we been seein'."

ggg

Chief found the thing on the floor where Actor had tossed it. He'd rubbed it clean and dry with the sand that had gathered in the corners on the floor. He turned it in his fingers thinking. Nachi bee iinziinii! He didn't know what to do. He'd been too young, he just couldn't remember. He thought you had to give the bone back but it wasn't something the old people explained to young ones, just stories they told. He thought one of the uncles said that you had to do it, to turn it around and get the person well again. There were songs that had to be sung too, blessing songs, but he didn't know those either, he hadn't been there long enough to learn. Even if he knew them he didn't know if it would work over here. Adilgashii! Maybe none of it was true, he thought, but he'd do it. He moved outside where Goniff, who had insisted taking his share of the duty, was keeping watch.

"Blimey don't sneak up on a bloke like that!" Goniff turned to stare at Chief. "You'r up at it too early, mate. S'not you'r turn yet. Casino comes next."

"I got somethin' I gotta do. Will you cover for me 'til I get back?"

Chief had that look on his face, the one that told him he didn't want no questions. Goniff narrowed his eyes and considered his friend before he spoke. "Sure. Like I said, you'r too early anyway. I still got almost an hour to go yet and then it's Casino's turn. You got some time." and he watched as the young man moved off into the trees heading back towards the town.

ggg

"You don't think it's, you know, like Chiefy said?"

"No, Goniff. The Warden was wounded when the gun exploded. The men that were around the gun,,, You saw what happened to them. The wound was contaminated. That is what's making him sick."

"Why doesn't he get better then? You took the thing out and we cleaned him up?"

"It will just take more time." They were working together using cool water to try and control Garrison's fever. Actor was sure the explanation for Chiefs' absence Goniff had given him had been a lie. Even if the young man had been unable to sleep, and the object he had removed from the Warden's wound had certainly upset him enough for that, he would never go far from the group, especially when they had wounded to protect. He was up to something. Actor prayed he would return safely, and soon, the rendezvous was just two hours away.

"Hey! Look!" Goniff drew his attention back to Garrison.

ggg

When Chief returned the Warden was quietly asleep. His fever broken back from the dangerous heights that made him see visions. The other men accepted his absence and his return in silence, he knew Garrison would never hear about it.

"He broke out in a sweat and started gettin' a bit better about half hour ago." Goniff told him quietly, and wondered when Chief checked his watch and merely nodded his head.

When the boat arrived for them they'd been able to rouse Garrison out of his sleep. He managed the walk across the beach, supported by Actor and Casino. Loaded in the bow of the boat, wrapped in a blanket and leaning against Goniff's shoulder he'd peered at them, finally nodding as a look of recognition crept across his face. Goniff had enticed him to take a mouthful or two of water before he fell asleep, but when the soup had come up from the tiny galley they'd been unable to wake him again. It had taken time, but the small craft finally pulled into the harbor, flanked by patrol boats. There was a truck waiting and a medic took Garrison and Goniff from them into a waiting ambulance.

As they'd been checked and released by the doctor they'd been directed to the small conference room where Reynolds had been waiting for them. Actor, Chief and Casino were assembled there now and were quietly starting the debriefing that was the final stage of every one of their missions. They were answering his questions about what they'd done and what they'd found. He'd be asking Goniff to go over the same ground tomorrow after he'd rested. The doctors had already cautioned him that Lieutenant Garrison's head injury and high fevers might make his recollections unreliable, if he retained memory of the last half of the mission at all, but he'd go over it with him all the same, when the doctors said he was ready. Reynolds had been told that might not be for several days.

gggggggggg

They'd all been astonished when the order for the repair of the roof over the broad front entrance had come through. With the shortage of men and material caused by the war, problems like broken tiles and rotten roofing generally dropped way to the bottom of the priority list. Actor reasoned that as the condition of the roof had caused three men to become injured the Army had little choice but to make the needed repairs.

The day the work crew arrived from the town was clear, sunny and warm. Garrison had been called in to meet with Reynolds and the men figured they'd be heading back across the channel soon and were determined to enjoy themselves. Actor and Chief were lounging in the shade out on the lawn, watching the work progress on the roof. Casino spent some time on the phone, by the way he acted probably talking to the girl he'd found down in the village, before joining them under the trees. Goniff, the stiffness and swelling gone from his knee, was happily scrambling over the roof, helping the workers by running supplies up and down the ladder, even taking a turn nailing the new boards in place out along the very edge earning cat calls from Casino, who was afraid of heights, but admiration and praise from the man in charge of the workers.

The work had gone smoothly. They were relaxed and smiling, just finishing up as Garrisons' jeep pulled in. Even the sight of the briefcase handcuffed to the Wardens' wrist didn't dampen their spirits.

"Lad, yer as agile as a cat up on this roof. If ye want fer work after the Yanks 'er done wi' ye, I'll take ye on."

"Hey, Lieutenant! These guys are tryin' to hire the Limey out from under ya. Better get over here and protect our interests."

Goniff grinned and stepped over to help take down the largest ladder as Garrison walked up the steps towards the door. He'd just hoisted the end of it, backing it away from the from the building, holding it by the lowest rung and letting the legs extend out behind him like the handles of a cart. The man up top was using an old strap, lowering it down into the waiting hands of his crewmate on the stones below. There was an ominous tearing sound as the fibers of the ancient strap parted. Goniff was shoved back along the step as the top of the ladder fell along the front of the building, breaking one of the library windows as it dropped. He managed to keep his feet as he stumbled backwards, the end of the ladder lifting behind him. He felt the shaft on the right catch, connecting with something soft before the top dropped on the stone with a clatter sending a sharp jolt through the wood that finally caused him to lose his grip.

"Jeeze! Goniff watch what you'r doin'!"

He cringed. He couldn't believe it! It was starting all over again. He stood where he was, closed his eyes and raised his face to the heavens before he turned to see what damaged he'd caused this time.

Garrison was on his knees on the stone, his cap had been knocked from his head and his shirttail hung down over his belt, buttons had been torn off the shirt and there was a streak of dirt across it, just below the pockets. He was leaning forward slightly, his right hand clutched at his mid-section, his left, held down by the weight of the briefcase, resting against his leg. His face was red and he appeared to be struggling for air.

"Blimey! Aw Warden! I'm sorry, mate. Are you alright?" Goniff moved quickly across to crouch next to him as Casino moved up on the other side, releasing the cuff from around his wrist. Garrison, still unable to breathe, nodded, made a fist with his left hand and jerked the thumb up. "Oh, hey! That's great! See, fellas, thumbs up, he's OK!"

Garrison repeated the gesture in frustration

"I think he wants help up, you idiot." Casino growled as he leaned forward and hooked the Warden under the arm. Goniff scrambled up and hauled on him from the other side and he soon stood swaying before them, still slightly bent over, rubbing gingerly at his middle.

Actor stood looking at the torn trousers and scraped knees and shook his head, "I'll go get Corporal Riley. Bring him into the library. If you are careful of the broken glass you can just go through there." He indicated the large broken window with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

Goniff pulled the Warden's arm across his shoulder and looked at him a moment before they started forward towards the entrance. "You know, Warden," he said seriously "Maybe we oughta just go find that toad after all, just t'be on the safe side."

Chief, gathering up cap, briefcase and keys, laughed as he followed them inside. "Well Goniff, it'll be a good night for it…. There's a full moon."


End file.
